Category: English

Victoria Ashford confessed her love to me on the third day of the ‘conquest’ challenge. But the Affection Meter floating above her head was clearly, definitively, Zero. After we made it official, she elevated me to the sky, showering me with a devotion that felt like an obsession. On our sixth anniversary, she orchestrated a lavish, public proposal. I was nodding, tears blurring my vision, when a block of floating text—a corrupted digital overlay—drifted into my line of sight: [It must be exhausting for the second female lead, pretending to love the cruel sidekick for six years just to protect the male lead!] [LOL, the replacement really got into character!] My blood turned instantly to ice. That’s why the number had never moved. At the exact same moment, a cold system alert screamed inside my mind: “Final Phase Initiated. Conquest Countdown: Ten Days.” “Failure will result in your immediate obliteration.” I forced a smile, gently pulling my hand away—the diamond ring still hovering between us—and wiped the tears from my eyes. “I’m sorry, Victoria,” I said. “But I’m tired of playing your game.” 1. The text overlay scrolled relentlessly: [Wait, did the sidekick’s eyes just change?] [He should have woken up sooner. The second female lead only has eyes for the male lead.] [Can’t wait for him to blacken and go feral—] Feral? No. I was just suddenly remembering the details. The way she insisted I couldn’t see anyone alone, calling it her “fear of me choosing bad company.” The way she always gently cut me off when I mentioned work: “But darling, I just want to be with you every second.” It wasn’t affection. It was a gilded cage. I wandered back to our sprawling, isolated villa, mechanically throwing things into a suitcase. As I passed her study, the digital overlay intensified: [Look at the computer! The second female lead forgot to log out of her chat!] [Oh no, oh no, if he sees the conversation history…] [CRISIS! Male Lead Protection Initiative Activated!] The chime of an incoming message echoed from the study. I pushed the door open. The screen was bright, showing a conversation between Victoria and Jasmine Cole. Victoria’s latest message read: “He suddenly rejected the proposal. Keep Chase safe these next few days. Don’t let Kai near him.” Jasmine’s reply came quickly: “Don’t worry. You’ve sacrificed so much these past six years.” I laughed, a ragged, dry sound. How ridiculous. My existence had unified two women who were supposed to be bitter rivals. I scrolled up. The record was a blunt knife, slowly and methodically slicing through my skin. Jasmine: “I remember the original plot—Kai ruined Chase’s career, maybe even his looks, and hired thugs to rough him up.” “It’s a travesty that you had to share a bed with that psycho for six years.” Victoria: “As long as Chase is safe, it’s worth it.” Jasmine: “He seems to love you more and more. If he ever found out the truth, do you think he’d go even more insane?” Victoria: “He won’t find out.” “And if he does, and if he dares to touch Chase—” “I’ll break his hands and feet and have him locked up in a psychiatric ward for life.” She had added an exclamation point to the last sentence. I stared at the screen, my fingers numb with cold. The overlay was a frenzy: [‘It’s worth it’… Second female lead is obsessed! But with who, I won’t say!] [Am I the only one who thinks this is terrifying? Using someone for six years, just to protect their true love?] [It’s the cruel sidekick! She’s protecting the true love and doing the world a favor. It’s a win-win!] [Look at the sidekick’s expression… Is he about to blacken?] [Sidekick, stop it! Just run!] Run? I looked down at my wrist. Yes. I had to run. The night was thick and dark as I dragged my suitcase out the door. I stood on the curb, suddenly realizing I had nowhere to go. The overlay seemed to panic on my behalf: [Is he really leaving?] [Go! Don’t hold up the second female lead and the male lead’s romance!] [Wait… isn’t that Victoria’s car in the distance?!] Headlights stabbed the darkness, and her familiar black sedan screeched to a halt beside me. Victoria scrambled out, her silk blouse slightly askew, her breathing ragged. Her face held the perfect, heartbreaking blend of panic and sorrow. “Kai, I’m so sorry, I rushed things… I thought you’d be happy.” She reached out to grab me, her eyes wet. “Don’t go, please. We can talk this through. Just tell me what I did wrong.” Once, that performance would have broken me. Now, all I could hear was the chilling echo of the chat log: break his hands and feet and have him locked up. I took a step back, dodging her touch. “It’s not you,” I heard my own voice say, light and distant. “It’s just… I’m bored.” “Bored…?” Her lashes fluttered, as if the word were a foreign language. “You don’t love me anymore?” In the harsh glow of the streetlamp, her eyes were filled with fractured light. Her acting was Oscar-worthy. A new message floated by: [Honestly, not all of her goodness to him was fake, right… This is kind of painful.] That single line clicked something into place. I raised my head, looking straight into her eyes. “Victoria.” “In these six years, was there ever a second… that you genuinely felt happy?” Her pupils contracted, microscopically. She didn’t answer. But the overlay exploded: [!!! Did he find out?!] [HOLY SHIT HIGH ALERT—] [Second female lead, what are you waiting for?! Lie!] The wind was brutal. I grabbed my suitcase and turned, vanishing into the night. No footsteps followed. Only the countdown, ticking loudly in my mind: 9 Days 23 Hours 59 Minutes. The game wasn’t over. But the player was done following the rules. 2. I hailed a cab and leaned against the window, my hands trembling. It wasn’t fear. It was exhilaration. Shedding six years of pretense felt like finally gulping air after drowning. The countdown blinked relentlessly: 9 Days 23 Hours 10 Minutes Less than ten days left. All because of someone who would never love me. The absurdity was staggering. “Where to, son?” the driver, an older man with a gray beard, asked, looking at me in the rearview mirror. I gave him the address of a small, unpretentious café down by the river—the place I loved most. Victoria had called it “too noisy, too messy.” She’d forbidden me from going back. The overlay drifted past: [Where is he going? Shouldn’t he be hiding?] [Victoria’s last look was terrifying…] [Am I the only one who thinks he looked incredibly hot just now?] The city lights blurred past the window. For six years, I’d lived in a bubble, seeing only the world Victoria had filtered for me. Now the glass had shattered. The wind rushing in carried the scent of street food, the dampness of the river, and the casual laughter of strangers. It was so real it made me want to weep. The café was just as I remembered. The bell above the door jingled as I walked in. The owner, a kind, middle-aged man, looked up and paused. “Kai? Is that really you?” “Uncle Chen, it’s been a while.” “It is you!” He wiped his hands on a towel and walked out from behind the counter. “It must be five or six years, right? You used to take that window seat, one latte, and write screenplays all afternoon…” I remembered then. Before Victoria, I was a film student, dreaming of winning an Oscar, filling the margins of my scripts with notes. And then? Victoria had said: “Acting is too stressful.” She’d said: “Hollywood is toxic. It’s not for you.” She’d said: “I’m all you need, Kai.” And I had believed her. I gave up the auditions, canceled the contracts, locked my dreams in a drawer, and handed her the key. “The usual?” Uncle Chen asked. “The usual,” I confirmed. I paused. “And add a slice of Tiramisu.” I’d never allowed myself to eat it—Victoria said I “gained weight easily and wouldn’t look good on camera.” But I only had ten days left. Who cared about a camera? The window seat was empty. I sat down, the river breeze cool on my face. The lights of the opposite bank shimmered on the water, a dizzying sheet of moving gold. The moment the first bite of Tiramisu hit my tongue—the sweet cream and the bitter, boozy coffee—I closed my eyes. It was glorious. This was what it felt like to be alive. The overlay was silent for a moment, then a few lines drifted across: [He’s eating so intensely…] [I feel weirdly sorry for him.] [If you only have ten days left, I guess you’d want a good meal.] [Do we actually think Victoria is going to let him be this free? I doubt it.] I doubted it too. So, when my phone vibrated, flashing Victoria Ashford, I wasn’t surprised. I answered without speaking. “Kai, where are you?” “I’ve been worried sick about you.” Her voice held a hint of manufactured exhaustion. “I’m eating.” “Come home, Kai.” Her tone softened, the classic manipulative lull. “We both need to cool down. I promise, I won’t bother you tonight; you can sleep in the guest room. We’ll talk tomorrow, okay?” I knew that cadence. For six years, whenever I caused a ripple, she used it to gently, patiently, guide me back into the cage. Then everything would reset. “Victoria.” I looked out at the river. “Do you remember my graduation film?” She paused. “Why bring that up now?” “I played a man who was held captive, and in the end, he burned the whole house down, taking himself with it.” I dug my spoon into the cake. “You said my performance was too extreme, that no one in real life would be that foolish.” “Now I understand.” “He wasn’t foolish. The fire was the only thing he had left.” The breathing on the other end of the line deepened. “What exactly are you trying to say?” “I’m trying to say this,” I finished the last bite of Tiramisu. “For the next ten days, I’m living my own life.” “Don’t look for me. Don’t contact me. Don’t threaten my family.” “And after ten days, if I’m still alive…” I smiled. “We can play your game again.” 3. I checked into the most expensive penthouse suite in the city, charging it to the supplementary card Victoria had given me. The overlay was still buzzing: [The Penthouse??? He’s really living it up.] [Using the second female lead’s money for a hotel is legendary.] [He’s got ten days left, let him be extra!] I tossed my suitcase near the door and sank into a rose petal-filled bathtub. The countdown flickered: 8 Days 14 Hours 32 Minutes Eight and a half days. My phone remained eerily silent. Victoria hadn’t called back. That was unlike her. Late that night, I lay in the three-meter-wide bed. The overlay was sparse: [He actually fell asleep? Balls of steel.] [The second female lead is tracking his phone location, I think.] [Seriously, this surveillance dynamic is suffocating.] Just as I was drifting off, a violent slamming sound ripped through the room. I sat up instantly. The overlay exploded: [What was that sound?!] [Someone’s kicking the door in!!!] [Is it Victoria???] [Help! I’m terrified!] Before I could react, the door to the suite was violently kicked open. Victoria stood in the doorway, her eyes blazing with red streaks, radiating a level of pure rage I had never seen. “Kai Jensen.” Her voice was hoarse as she walked, step by slow step, toward the bed. I instinctively clutched the collar of my robe. She stopped in front of me, glaring. “Where is Chase?” I blinked. “What?” “Don’t play dumb.” She suddenly grabbed my wrist, the strength in her grip making my bones ache. “Where did you take him? Tell me!” “I don’t know what you’re talking about—” I tried to pull free, but her hold tightened impossibly. The overlay scrolled madly: [What’s going on? The male lead was kidnapped?] [The sidekick did it? Impossible, he’s been at the hotel.] [The timeline doesn’t add up. When would he have planned a kidnapping?] [Victoria has lost it!] “Victoria, let go!” I gasped, the pain a cold shock. “I haven’t seen Chase Donovan! I’ve been right here for two days—” “Kai, I underestimated you.” “You act heartbroken, then turn around and kidnap Chase? You’re truly vile.” “I didn’t.” I gritted my teeth. She shoved me roughly onto the bed, leaning over me, hands braced on either side of my head. “I’m giving you one last chance. Where is Chase? What did you do to him?” Her breath was hot on my face, carrying a ferocious, almost psychotic intensity. In six years, I had never witnessed this Victoria. The overlay was starting to split: [The second female lead is terrifying…] [But if the sidekick really did kidnap the male lead, he deserves it, right?] [Look closely! The sidekick didn’t have time to do this!] [Maybe it’s a misunderstanding?] “I told you, I don’t know.” “Victoria, look at me. Have I lied to you in these six years?” Her pupil’s flickered. There was a moment of hesitation. “The location where Chase’s phone tracking disappeared,” she leaned in, her eyes like poisoned daggers, “was the vicinity of the café you went to.” My blood ran cold. A trap. Someone had set a trap. “It wasn’t me, I didn’t—” My voice was starting to shake. “Enough!” She abruptly stood up, pulling a small, folding knife from her pocket. Victoria grabbed my hand and pressed the blade against my wrist. “Kai,” her voice was a chilling whisper. “I know you hate Chase, that you hate him for ‘taking’ me. Even though I was never yours to begin with. But you cannot touch him.” “I’m asking you one last time! Where is Chase?” The blade bit into the skin of my wrist. A warm, immediate river of blood spilled out. The excruciating pain shot through my body. My vision tunneled. I thought I might pass out. The overlay went wild: [The second female lead is completely unhinged!] [I’m starting to pity the sidekick… he genuinely looks lost.] [Say something! Lie to her if you have to!] I opened my mouth, a broken gasp escaping my throat: “I… didn’t…” 4. The crimson blood stained the pristine white sheets. Victoria’s hand was an iron vise, clamped tight around my wrist. The blade was embedded in my flesh; every heartbeat brought a fresh, tearing wave of pain. “Last chance,” her voice sounded miles away. “Where is Chase?” I tried to speak, but no sound came out. My vision blurred. I could only make out her tightly controlled jaw and the near-feral crimson in her eyes. The overlay flooded the air: [He’s going to die…] [Victoria let go! He’s really going to die!] [Can someone call the police?! This is attempted murder!] [System! Why isn’t the system doing anything about this level of physical harm?!] The system remained utterly silent. Right. In a conquest game, the sidekick’s life was never a priority. I was just an NPC, a stepping stone for the protagonists’ love, a villainous backdrop to showcase the hero’s virtue. But I could feel the pain. It was horrifically real. “You won’t talk?” Victoria’s grip pressed the blade another fraction deeper. I heard the thin slish of skin parting, followed by a warmer, faster gush. Black spots started to dance in my vision, like static on an old TV. Just as I believed this was how I would die— Victoria’s phone rang. The moment she saw the caller ID, her pupils shrank. She answered instantly: “Chase?” A man’s broken, shaky voice came through the speaker: “Victoria… I, I got away…” “They’re at the abandoned factory on the West Side… they all ran…” “…I’m so scared…” “Don’t be scared! I’m coming now!” Victoria’s voice instantly transformed. The harshness vanished, replaced by a tenderness, a near-trembling devotion I had never been the recipient of. “Are you hurt? Find a safe place and hide.” She didn’t even hang up. She dropped my wrist and sprinted toward the door. The blade was dragged across my skin as her hand left, sending another jolt of pure agony through me. I slumped onto the bed, watching her figure disappear into the hallway. The overlay was silent for a moment, then erupted: [She just left?!] [The sidekick’s wrist is still pouring blood!] [She could at least call an ambulance?!] [Is this her ‘love’? Hurting someone without hesitation for the male lead?] [How could I ever have thought she was sincere…] I struggled to raise my uninjured hand, reaching for the phone on the nightstand. My fingers shook, centimeters from the device, yet it felt like a thousand miles away. More and more blood pooled on the sheets, the deep crimson spreading across the white linen. I bit down on my jaw, using the last of my strength to inch forward— My fingertips finally brushed the edge of the phone. The overlay was frantic: [Keep going! You got it!] [Call 911! Hurry!] [Don’t pass out! Hold on!] I unlocked the screen, but my vision was too blurry to make out the numbers. I fumbled for the keys, pressing 9, 1, 1, then the call button. I heard the dial tone. One ring. Two rings. My breathing grew shallow. The black spots consumed my sight. “Hello, 911 Emergency…” I opened my mouth, trying to speak, but only a wet, choked sound came out. “Hello? Can you hear me? What is your emergency?” I tried to tell them I was in the hotel, bleeding, dying. But my throat was choked, unable to form words. “Hello? Hello?” The voice on the line faded away. The phone slipped from my grasp, hitting the carpet with a dull thud. The overlay was in chaos: [NOOO!!!] [Someone save him!!!] [Where are the hotel staff?! Didn’t anyone hear the noise?!] [Victoria, you BITCH!!!] My consciousness began to fracture. In the haze, I felt like I was floating, looking down at my pale, curled-up body in the spreading pool of blood. Then I saw the overlay messages again. [Victoria met up with Chase.] [Chase is hugging her.] [She’s comforting him, saying ‘It’s okay, it’s all over.’] [Chase just kissed her.] […They are kissing.] [While the sidekick is lying here bleeding out.] The overlay paused for a few seconds. Then the tone shifted: [I suddenly feel… sick.] [What did the sidekick do wrong? He just loved the wrong person.] [He was genuinely dedicated for six years.] [How dare Victoria do this to him?] [If the sidekick dies, she’s a murderer.] [I want to see her regret this.] [I want to see her on her knees begging for his forgiveness.] [But he might not make it.] [Can someone go to that hotel and save him? I can’t watch this anymore.] The countdown was still lit, faintly blinking: 8 Days 9 Hours 01 Minute The game wasn’t over. But the player seemed to be making an early exit.

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1 I’d just gotten back from sorting out the birth certificate when I saw my husband untying our daughter’s wristband. A prickle of suspicion chilled me. I was about to push the door open, but then I watched him swap out our daughter’s swaddling with another baby’s. Just then, a woman’s gentle voice drifted from inside the room. “Declan, I swear, I’ll raise your daughter as my own.” My husband, Declan Gray, looked up, his eyes brimming with a love and pity I’d never seen directed at me. “Liana, little Hope lost her father the moment she was born. Don’t worry, I promise to give her a complete family. She’ll grow up healthy, surrounded by a mother and father’s unwavering love. From this day forward, I am her father.” Outside the hospital room, I clutched the flimsy birth certificate, feeling like I’d been plunged into an ice bath. Liana Hayes, his unattainable ‘one that got away,’ the woman he still pined for. He wanted to give his beloved Liana’s daughter a complete family. What about our daughter? Inside, he held Liana’s baby with such tenderness, such intense focus and love. That look, so gentle and adoring, had never once been for me or our child. The warmth and affection on his face became a searing blade, striking me before I could even process it. An inexpressible, sharp pain tore through me, gutting my heart. I looked down, my eyes fixed on the pristine birth certificate, tracing our daughter’s name: Anya Gray. My vision blurred, tears welling. Was even her name a silent homage to their lost love? Only then did the realization hit me, slow and crushing: Declan didn’t love me. And he didn’t love our daughter either, this child I’d carried for nine months, enduring a full night of labor to bring into the world. The truth shattered me, leaving me trembling, barely able to stand, clinging to the wall for support. Declan’s voice, hoarse with emotion, reached me from the room. “Liana, the regret of our love, of what could have been, we’ll mend through this child. My first half of life was for you. The second will be for her. She’s the last thread connecting us.” The regret of a love that couldn’t be? I let out a bitter, self-mocking laugh. Why must your regrets be mended at the cost of my daughter’s entire life? A sacrifice made at another’s expense. My love for him withered, replaced by a silent storm of disappointment and resentment taking root deep within me. I wiped the tears from my face, slowly pushing myself off the wall. Steeling myself, I pushed open the door, interrupting their intimate exchange. Declan’s face darkened the moment he saw me, his voice sharp with irritation. “What took you so long? Is that how a mother acts? Amelia Reed, can’t you learn from Liana? Her eyes haven’t left the baby for a second!” I lowered my gaze, hiding the disappointment and pain swirling in my eyes. In Declan’s world, I was always second best to Liana, even when he knew I’d just been getting our daughter’s birth certificate. Living in the same apartment building for years, he constantly compared me to Liana, always praising her, oblivious to the simmering tension between them. How blind I’d been not to notice their unspoken connection. My eyes fell on Liana, and a tight, bitter smile touched my lips, hatred gathering in my gaze. The baby in Liana’s arms was clearly my Anya! Sensing my stare, Liana subtly shifted, blocking my view. Just then, the baby in Declan’s arms began to wail. This time, he didn’t instantly blame me. Instead, he cradled the baby, murmuring soft reassurances. He hadn’t held our daughter once in the three days since she was born. Yet now, he looked down, speaking softly, an aura of paternal love radiating from him. The difference between love and indifference was stark, a brutal punch to the gut. I stared at him, my mind a battlefield, a bold and dangerous idea taking root. Liana turned, offering me a strained, bitter smile. “Little Hope lost her dad right after she was born. Seeing you two as a happy family of three… it really stings, you know?” She spoke with an air of self-pity, but a flicker of triumph, impossible to suppress, danced in her eyes. Declan looked up, his face etched with unconcealed sorrow, his eyes slightly red. “Liana…” I dug my nails into my palm, the sharp pain pulling me back from my daze. Liana sighed, then carried Anya to another bed. I took a deep breath, pushing down the bitterness, and reached out to take the baby from Declan, intending to soothe her. “Honey, is the baby hungry? I’ll go get some water for her formula.” Normally, Declan would have eagerly handed the baby over, but now, his brow furrowed in a tight frown. 2 “My daughter will have breast milk, of course. Formula? Do you have any responsibility at all? Amelia, listen to me, we’re only having one child, and I want to give her the absolute best! Don’t you even think about a second or third child!” With that, he practically shoved the baby into my arms, gesturing for me to feed her. I turned my face away, my heart swelling with a mix of bitterness and anger. Before Anya was born, he’d constantly told me to formula feed her so his mother could take over after my confinement, urging me to go back to work. His harsh words still echoed in my ears: “Amelia Reed, I know your family is wealthy, but you need to learn to be independent, not just waste away as a stay-at-home mom! The baby will be raised by the nanny and my mother.” So, the only true ties that bound him were Liana and her daughter. My daughter wasn’t worth his concern, nor did she deserve to grow up in her mother’s arms. Indifference meant no thought, no care. It wasn’t until Anya, still in Liana’s arms, began to cry loudly that my self-pity was interrupted. Hearing my daughter’s cries, I involuntarily took a half step forward. Liana frowned, impatiently placing the baby on the bed. Then, as if an idea struck her, she quickly turned to Declan and me, explaining, “Crying it out, it helps train a child’s independence. After all, this child was born without a father. I can’t spoil her.” Anya sobbed heartbrokenly, yet Liana simply scrolled through her phone. Listening to her absurd justification, I clenched my fists, a furious heat rising within me. “A three-day-old infant? Training what independence? Liana Hayes, crying is a baby’s natural instinct! If you let her continue, she’ll cry herself sick!” My heart ached at Anya’s cries, and I lunged forward, desperate to pick her up. But Declan coldly blocked me. “Amelia Reed! What right do you have to lecture Liana? Who do you think you are?” My mind exploded. My blood ran cold, and I started to tremble uncontrollably. He knew. He knew the one crying her heart out right now was our child! My body rigid, I turned to Declan, my voice catching in my throat. “The baby is crying. Can’t you hear her?” Declan’s brow was deeply furrowed, his eyes utterly devoid of emotion. He looked at me with annoyance. “Liana’s own child. Is she not heartbroken enough that you, an outsider, need to step in?” I almost demanded to know how he could be so cruel. But the words died on my lips, replaced by a bitter ache, and I averted my gaze, unable to bear it. The conviction in my heart, however, only grew stronger. Anya cried until her voice was hoarse, but Declan seemed oblivious, his attention solely on the baby in his arms. He didn’t even spare Anya a glance. I tightened my fists, waiting for my chance. A chance to quietly switch the two babies back. Liana’s child might have been born without a father, but I wouldn’t let my Anya suffer the same fate. She deserved a life of privilege and love! I vowed silently, Anya, trust Mommy. I will ensure you have all the love of a mother and a father. Newborns were taken for a bath when they were three days old. I held this strange baby in my arms. This afternoon, I would get my Anya back. Anya had a tiny red mole behind her ear, a secret only I knew. From the day she was born, I’d been the only one to feed her, to change her diapers. Declan didn’t know, and Liana didn’t either. They thought by swapping swaddles and wristbands, they could steal my daughter? Ha. How naive. She was my precious girl, whom I cherished so deeply I barely dared to sleep at night. In the afternoon, Liana’s mother arrived. The moment she saw the sleeping baby on the bed, she snapped irritably, “A curse-bringer, a useless girl! Get her out of this hospital already, stop wasting money!” Liana’s husband had passed away two weeks prior, never even seeing his own child. A tragic story, indeed. Mrs. Hayes’s loud voice drew glances from other patients. Both babies in the room startled and began to cry simultaneously. Declan frowned slightly, seemingly displeased by my distraction. He snatched the baby from my arms, murmuring reassurances. My eyes never left Anya, her cries tearing at my heart. Mrs. Hayes, further annoyed by the crying, roughly yanked open the baby’s swaddling, her dirt-stained finger jabbing at Anya’s face. 3 “Cry, cry, cry, that’s all you do! Your father died because of your crying! If I’d known it was going to be a girl, I never would have let you be born!” Noticing the disapproving stares from others in the room, Liana, ever conscious of appearances, made a halfhearted attempt to intervene. “Mom, don’t say such things to the baby.” I watched Liana coldly. Her eyes hadn’t even left her phone. How could people like them possibly raise a child well? Yet, my husband was so blind and senseless, convinced the world owed Liana everything, willing to sacrifice anything to make it up to her! Mrs. Hayes scoffed, finally lowering her voice, but still grumbling, “I’ll take the child back to the countryside. Liana, you need to find another man while you’re still young! Preferably a rich one, so I can have something to look forward to in my old age…” As Mrs. Hayes’s rambling grew more outrageous, Liana finally looked up from her phone, her gaze instinctively drifting toward Declan. Her eyes reddened slightly, and she answered with a weary air, “Mom, I… I couldn’t marry the man I wanted back then. Now, it doesn’t matter who I marry.” Declan lowered his head, his gaze fixed on the baby in the swaddle, appearing calm. But I saw the profound sadness and loneliness in his eyes. He held the baby, no longer attempting to comfort her, his fingers unconsciously scrunching the bedsheets. Liana’s words had pierced him deeply. Yet, he showed no reaction to the thought of my daughter being taken to the countryside, branded as a father-killer. His mind was lost in Liana’s lament. I stared at his slightly pale face, my gaze fixed on him as I cautiously asked, “Honey, Liana’s baby… she’s quite pitiful, isn’t she?” My eyes never left Declan, searching for a flicker of compassion, reluctance, or even a hint of guilt. There was nothing. Declan suddenly looked up at me, his eyes cold. He pressed his lips together, then said softly, “She was born unlucky. No one is to blame.” I stared at him in disbelief, as if I’d never truly seen him before. Or perhaps, this was the first time I was truly seeing the man he was. The Declan before me was detached, callous. He casually dismissed her fate as ‘unlucky,’ a phrase that struck not just her, but my heart, with crushing weight. An unfamiliar emotion surged within me, suffocating me. The heavy atmosphere in the room made my heart pound, and I numbly turned away, unwilling for him to see the tears in my eyes. Declan’s gaze suddenly landed on me, his eyes sharp. “Amelia, you’ve been acting strange all morning. Since when did you care so much about other people’s business?” I took a deep breath, expelling the tightness in my chest, and smiled. “Just seeing the baby… it tugs at my heart, that’s all.” Declan’s brows furrowed even tighter. He paused, then a hint of mockery entered his eyes as he scoffed, “Hmph, well, you’re certainly overflowing with sympathy. Amelia, instead of worrying about other people’s children, why don’t you pay more attention to your own daughter?” When the nurse announced it was time to take the newborns for their baths, my eyes drifted to Liana, who remained unmoving. “Liana, aren’t you taking your daughter for a bath?” Liana glanced at Anya in the swaddle, about to say something, when Mrs. Hayes quickly interjected, “No. A girl? Not worth the money.” Anger flared in my chest, but I suppressed it, remembering my plan. “It’s free, Auntie. The hospital provides it.” Hearing my words, Mrs. Hayes’s eyes lit up. Driven by the thought of a freebie, she scooped up Anya from the bed. “Then we’ll go! Your city hospitals really do have good service!” Mrs. Hayes, holding Anya, followed me closely out of the room. In my peripheral vision, as soon as we left, Liana went over to my husband, who was sitting on the visitor’s sofa. His eyes met hers, filled with remorse. I bit my lip hard, frantically telling myself, Don’t act rashly. For our daughter’s happiness, endure this for now! At the infant bathing room, the nurse directed parents to queue up to drop off their babies, with families waiting outside. Anya went in first. Mrs. Hayes, bored while waiting by the door, struck up a conversation with me. When she found out I also had a daughter, she pursed her lips, her eyes filled with disdain. “Tsk, what’s the point of having a girl?” My expression instantly turned cold. I had no desire to speak further with such an ignorant and narrow-minded person. 4 Mrs. Hayes couldn’t stand still, constantly looking around. She seemed to spot something exciting, turning back to instruct me, “Hey, Amelia, can you pick up that little brat for me later? Auntie will be right back!” My heart skipped a beat. This was the perfect opportunity. I quickly nodded. Mrs. Hayes hurried off towards the bustling crowd. At that precise moment, I handed the prepared clothes and swaddle to the nurse. When the nurse brought Anya out after her bath, she was wearing the tiny outfit I’d prepared. I held her close, my eyes never leaving her, as if cradling a lost treasure I’d miraculously found again. My eyes were stinging with unshed tears. By the time Mrs. Hayes returned from her distraction, the two babies had, through my careful maneuvering, swapped identities once more. From this day forward, my Anya would grow up safe and sound under my protection. She would have the complete love of both her mother and father. My gaze swept over the infant in Mrs. Hayes’s arms, and I had to avert my eyes. I was sorry. My heart was small, only holding enough space for my loved ones and my daughter. There was no room left for anyone else. Back in the room, I expected everything to have returned to normal, unnoticed. But to my shock, the moment Declan took the baby, he knew something was wrong. His eyes were fixed on the infant’s face, his expression grim, dark as a storm cloud. A terrible premonition bloomed in my chest. Sure enough. He roughly tore open the baby’s swaddle, ignoring her sudden startled cries, and sharply demanded, “Amelia Reed, where is my daughter? What have you done with my daughter?” Declan’s eyes were bloodshot. As if a sudden thought struck him, he thrust the baby into my arms and strode out of the room. I held Anya, trying to stop him, but he brutally slapped me. Smack! “Amelia Reed, get out of my way! I’m going to find my daughter!” I had just given birth. The force wasn’t immense, a light slap, but it left my mouth numb and stinging. I grabbed Declan’s arm, my voice a raw, ugly rasp squeezed from my throat. “Our daughter is right here, honey. Look at her. She’s our Anya…” Declan flung me away, his gaze poisonous, as if he wanted to tear me to shreds. “No! She’s not mine! She’s just your Amelia Reed’s daughter, never the precious baby I wanted!” I stood there, holding our daughter, a sharp pain in my chest, as if tiny ants were gnawing at my heart. It wasn’t an intense pain, but it made tears well in my eyes. I forced my eyes wide open, looking at Declan, and asked with a bitter laugh, “Declan, do you hate Anya? Or do you just hate me? Are you truly so unwilling to raise our child?” He glared at me with hatred, his lips trembling, trying to speak but failing. I watched him in silence, my eyes frighteningly red. Yet, when I looked at him, there was still a hint of pleading in my gaze, perhaps even unknown to myself. Deep down, I still harbored hope for Declan, for our family. I still loved him. In the silent standoff, Declan’s face was alarmingly pale. I offered him a forced smile, reaching out to steady him. “Honey, my body hasn’t fully recovered yet, I…” Just then, Mrs. Hayes walked in, holding the endlessly wailing child. Hearing the baby’s cries, Declan cruelly pushed my hand away and snatched the child from Mrs. Hayes. His hands trembling, he pressed his face against the infant’s tiny one, his eyes filled with tender love. “Don’t cry, baby. Daddy’s here. Good girl.” I looked at my empty hands, humiliation and pain washing over me. In my arms, my daughter slept soundly, her little mouth smacking. Perhaps she was dreaming, for she even smiled sweetly. The tears I’d held back now streamed down, soaking her swaddle. Anya, forgive Mommy. Maybe I can’t give you a complete family anymore. But believe me, I will love you with all my strength. Behind me, I heard Declan soothing the baby, and Liana standing beside him, a possessive, protective stance. The hospital room fell into a dead silence, all eyes on him, then on me. I wiped away my tears, and by the time I turned around, I was the calm, decisive Amelia Reed again. If a forced connection brings no joy, then I’ll simply let it go. I looked at Declan and said calmly, “Declan, let’s get a divorce.”

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“Ms. Sterling, this is your seventh citation.” The property manager’s assistant handed me the pink slip, his eyes darting away in guilt. Two hundred dollars. Including the previous six, I’d been fined $1,400 this month alone for “obstructing common areas with personal clutter.” I looked at the AED (Automated External Defibrillator) mounted in the corner of the 17th-floor landing and let out a bitter laugh. I had spent $2,000 of my own money to buy it three months ago specifically because my neighbor across the hall, Mr. Henderson, has a severe heart condition. “Ms. Sterling, my hands are tied,” the assistant whispered. “Mrs. Miller reported it again. This time, she went straight to the HOA board…” Mrs. Miller. Brenda Miller from 1702. Ever since she discovered that filing reports earned her “Community Credits” that could be redeemed for grocery vouchers, the entire building hadn’t known a moment of peace. I took a deep breath. “Fine. I’ll move out.” The assistant froze. “Wait, what?” I was already opening an app on my phone, my thumb hovering over the words “Terminate Service.” I waited three seconds, then tapped it. The screen flashed a confirmation: [Vance Elevator Services • Grandview Towers Building 1 • Annual Maintenance Contract Terminated.] My name is Sarah Sterling. I’m 32. I’ve lived in this building for 15 years. For 15 years, I’ve been the building’s silent benefactor—the “sucker.” 01 It all started two months ago. I was coming home from work when I stepped off the elevator to find Brenda Miller standing in front of my door, snapping photos with her phone. “Mrs. Miller? Is everything okay?” “Sarah, you have far too much junk in this hallway,” she said without looking up. “Fire extinguishers, first-aid kits, and now this big metal box. You’re hogging public space, you know.” I followed her gaze to the “big metal box”—the AED I’d installed last month. Mr. Henderson is 68 and his heart is failing. He’d had an episode in the hallway once, and if I hadn’t been passing by, he wouldn’t have made it. After that, I bought the machine and even went out of my way to get CPR and AED certified. “Mrs. Miller, that’s a defibrillator. It’s for Mr. Henderson—” “I don’t care what kind of ‘ator’ it is,” she snapped. “Rules are rules. No personal items in the common areas.” “This is life-saving equipment.” “Then keep it inside your own apartment. Why put it out here? To show off how much money you have?” I was stunned. Show off? I’d paid $2,000 for it and specifically mounted it in a discreet corner so neighbors wouldn’t think I was flaunting anything. “Mrs. Miller, if I keep it inside, it’ll be too late to reach it in a real emergency.” “That’s your problem.” She shoved her phone in my face. The reporting portal was open; the photo was already uploaded. “I’ve submitted it. If the property manager doesn’t handle it in 72 hours, the HOA will.” With that, she marched off. I stood there, keys in hand, paralyzed. The door across the hall cracked open. Mr. Henderson peeked out. “Sarah, I heard everything,” he sighed. “Maybe you should just take it down. Don’t make an enemy for my sake.” “Don’t worry about it, Bill. The machine stays.” He hesitated. “That Brenda Miller… don’t let her get to you. She’s just like that.” “I know.” I didn’t just know. I knew more about the costs of this building than anyone else. 02 The next day, the building management showed up. It was Joe, an old-timer who’d worked here for ten years. “Ms. Sterling, look…” He looked at the AED uncomfortably. “Technically, the hallways have to be clear.” “Joe, it’s an AED. It’s for emergencies.” “I know, but someone reported it. I have to show the board I did something.” “So, what’s the solution?” Joe scratched his head. “Maybe move it inside for a bit? Until the heat dies down?” “Joe.” I cut him off, my voice steady. “Who pays for the annual inspection and refill of the fire extinguishers in this building?” He stiffened. “Who bought the high-efficiency motion-sensor LED lights for the stairwells?” “…” “Who installed the filtered water station in the lobby?” Joe looked at the floor, silent. In this entire building, only the management staff knew these things. For 15 years, I’d never mentioned it to a single neighbor. “Ms. Sterling, I know how much you’ve done, but…” “Fine. I won’t make your job harder.” I unscrewed the AED from the wall and carried it into my apartment. Joe looked relieved. “Thanks for understanding, Sarah.” I shut the door without a word. I opened my phone and went to the building’s Facebook group. Sure enough, Brenda was posting her “Victory Report.” [REPORT SUCCESS! The illegal obstruction on the 17th floor has been cleared. Remember everyone, see something, say something! Let’s keep our public spaces tidy! 🌹] The likes poured in. [Brenda is the best!] [Who was the person on 17 anyway? Some people are so entitled, thinking they can just claim the hallway.] [Exactly. About time someone did something.] I watched the comments scroll by. 72 units. Not a single person remembered that the AED cost me $2,000. And not a single person remembered that the elevator in this building hadn’t broken down once in 15 years. 03 Brenda didn’t stop. On day three, the first-aid kits were reported. I’d placed them every few floors—stocked with bandages, antiseptic, and even emergency aspirin. Fine: $200. On day five, the lobby water station was reported. I’d installed it eight years ago, paid for the filters twice a year, and covered the minor bump in the building’s electricity. Joe brought me an “Illegal Utility Connection Notice.” “Ms. Sterling, Brenda says we don’t know who installed it. She’s worried about leaks or electrical hazards.” “I installed it.” “Doesn’t matter. There’s no official board permit on file…” Fine: $200. On day seven, the “Share-an-Umbrella” bin I kept by the door for kids was reported. Brenda called it “unsightly clutter affecting property value.” Fine: $200. On day ten, the fire extinguishers themselves were reported. 18 floors, two per floor. I replaced them every year out of pocket because the building’s official ones had expired three years ago and the HOA was too cheap to buy new ones. Brenda said: “The color of the canisters is dated and clashes with the hallway decor.” Fine: $200. I stood in the management office with five pink slips on the desk. “Sarah,” Joe sighed. “I’m so sorry. Brenda is… well, you know.” I knew. I knew all too well. Brenda Miller, 52, retired, husband is a mid-level bureaucrat at the City Inspector’s office. She moved in three years ago and immediately started reporting the food truck down the street, the hardware store on the corner, and even the birdhouse on the roof. She lived for the Community Credits. “Joe, I’ll pay the fines.” I slapped $1,000 in cash on the desk. “Sarah…” “But I have a condition.” “Anything.” “Starting today, everything I bought for this building is leaving with me.” Joe blinked. “What?” “The fire extinguishers. The first-aid kits. The water station. The LED sensors. The umbrellas. And the AED.” “But Sarah… those are part of the building now…” “No,” I corrected him. “They are my private property. The HOA never spent a cent on them.” I dropped a thick folder of receipts on the desk. “Fifteen years of invoices. Look for yourself.” Joe flipped to the first page, his hand starting to shake. 2011—36 Fire extinguishers: $1,800. 2012—18 Motion sensor lights: $900. 2014—Lobby water filtration system: $1,200. Annual filters: $200. … 2026—AED Unit: $2,000. Page after page of meticulous spending. Joe’s face went white. “Sarah, in fifteen years… you’ve spent nearly…” “$124,000.” I stated the number flatly. Like I was reading a weather report. “I did it because I wanted to. But since people find them to be eyesores, I’m taking my ‘clutter’ back.” Joe stood up, his lips trembling. “Sarah, don’t do this. People… people use these things every day…” “And?” “And… just don’t take it so personally. You know how Brenda is—” “Joe,” I interrupted. “Am I taking it personally? Have I ever reported her for drying her laundry on the common balcony? Have I reported her shoe rack in the hallway? Have I reported her for taking up two guest parking spots?” Joe went quiet. “I haven’t. I just did what I wanted to do and spent what I wanted to spend. But she’s decided to penalize my kindness. Fine. I’m done being kind.” I gathered my copies of the receipts and turned to the door. “Oh, and one more thing.” “What?” “My company handles the elevator maintenance for this building.” Joe looked like he’d just seen a ghost. 04 My name is Sarah Sterling. I’m the CEO of Sterling Elevator Group. This building was my parents’ home. I grew up here. When I was 17, my father died. When I was 23, my mother passed too, leaving me this apartment and a small, struggling maintenance company. I turned that three-person shop into a city-wide operation with thirty employees. But I never told my neighbors. There was no point. I simply put this building on our “Pro Bono” list. For 15 years, this elevator never skipped a beat. Other old buildings in the neighborhood had residents getting trapped every other week; ours was perfect. Neighbors thought we were just lucky. Only I knew that my technicians came every month for a secret inspection. I paid for the new cables every three years and the control board every five. Because this was home. Before my mom died, she told me: “Sarah, I worry about the old folks in this building. If you ever make it, look out for them.” I said I would. I did. But I never expected 15 years of quiet service to be rewarded with “Public Space Violation” fines. On my way home, I called my operations manager. “Mark, Grandview Towers Building 1. Don’t renew the maintenance contract.” There was a pause. “Sarah, isn’t that where you live?” “Yes.” “Just curious… what’s the market value of the free service we’ve been giving them?” “About $15,000 a year for the basic contract. Parts like cables and boards are extra.” “Got it. I’ll send the termination notice tomorrow.” I stood outside the building, looking up. 18 floors. 72 families. I knew most of them. Mrs. Higgins on the 6th floor—I sent her a gift basket every Christmas. Mr. Henderson on the 9th—he helped organize my dad’s funeral. But they were old now. They didn’t come out much. The building was full of new people who didn’t know me. They just knew me as the woman on 17 who “cluttered” the hallway. I walked inside. The elevator doors opened—bright, smooth, and silent. I hit 17. “Floor seventeen,” a gentle, recorded voice announced. I had designed that voice. The recording was made by a college friend who studied broadcasting. I wanted a soothing voice to make my neighbors’ days a little better. For 15 years, that voice accompanied 72 families. No one knew it was me. No one cared. 05 Moving the items took longer than I thought. 36 fire extinguishers. 6 first-aid kits. 18 sensor lights. The water station. The umbrella bins. And the $2,000 AED. I hired three movers. We spent the whole day running the elevator up and down. Neighbors gave us strange looks. “Sarah, what are you doing?” “Moving.” “Where to?” “Away from here.” I didn’t elaborate. Brenda Miller happened to be coming home from the store. When she saw the commotion, a smug look crossed her face. “Oh, Ms. Sterling. Finally decided to clear out the junk?” I ignored her. “It’s about time. Hallways should be clean, not full of this random crap—” “Brenda,” I interrupted. My voice was calm. “This is property I paid for. It isn’t ‘crap’.” She blinked. “Paid for? You? I thought the building provided these.” “Ask Joe.” Her smile faltered for a second but returned quickly. “Doesn’t matter who bought it. Leaving it in the common area is a violation. My report was valid.” “Yes. You were absolutely right.” I nodded and went back to directing the movers. Brenda watched for a bit, then walked away. I noticed her pace was a little faster than usual. By 6 PM, the last extinguisher was gone. I stood in the empty hallway. There were pale circles on the walls where the canisters used to hang. The outlet for the water station was exposed and bare. Fifteen years of history, erased by my own hand. Would my mom be disappointed? My phone buzzed. A text from Mark: [Termination notice sent and confirmed by management. They asked if we’re coming to pull the monitoring equipment. I told them no, but the scheduled inspection for Friday is canceled.] [Copy that,] I replied. I looked at the door of the apartment I’d lived in for thirty-two years. I hesitated, then turned toward the elevator. “Floor seventeen.” I pressed ‘B’. I got into my car in the garage and drove away. I didn’t know if I’d ever come back. 06 Three days after I moved, Joe texted me. [Sarah… the fire extinguishers… you really took them all?] [I did.] [What about the AED?] [That too.] [Sarah, please… can we work something out? We just had a surprise fire marshal inspection. We failed. The building is facing a massive fine because half the units are missing equipment.] I didn’t reply. A few minutes later: [About the elevator… were you serious? Your company has been doing it for free?] [Yes.] [What happens now?] [Management needs to find a new contractor. Market rate is about $15,000 a year.] Silence for an hour. Then: [Sarah, the HOA budget is only $40,000 a year for the whole building. We don’t have $15,000 for a premium maintenance plan…] [That sounds like a management problem.] I put my phone down and went back to my spreadsheets. My business was booming; I didn’t have time to mourn a building that didn’t want me. On the seventh day, the texts became more frequent. [Sarah, the seniors are asking why the water station is gone.] [I moved it.] [Could you… bring it back?] [For whom? The people who fined me for ‘hogging space’?] Joe stopped texting for a while. Then: [Sarah, people are complaining the hallway lights are out.] The sensor lights were mine. I’d been paying the electricity for them through a small auxiliary bypass I’d permitted years ago. Now that I’d cut the power, management realized they hadn’t even wired those sockets to the main building grid. [Sarah, Brenda is asking about the first-aid kits. She says her blood pressure is up and she needs the emergency meds you used to keep in there.] I laughed. Brenda Miller. You called it “clutter.” Now you realize it was a lifeline? I didn’t reply. On the tenth day, the inevitable happened.

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I am the top OB-GYN resident at St. Mary’s Hospital. My boyfriend’s mother was in pain, so I personally removed an IUD that had been tormenting her for thirty years. Their repayment? They broke into my condo, trashed the place, and caused a riot at the hospital. They claimed that after removing the device, I implanted a listening bug in her uterus. No matter how I tried to explain the medicine, she wouldn’t listen. She even started livestreaming her delusions to report me: [I’m reporting Chloe Carter! This psycho put a listening device inside me!] Facing their insanity and threats, I could only look at the sky in disbelief: What kind of doctor plants a bug in a patient’s uterus? The paranoia was off the charts. 1 When my boyfriend, Brad Sterling, burst into my apartment at 1 AM dragging his mother, Brenda, behind him, I was completely disoriented. I was yanked out of bed and onto the floor before Brad’s foot connected with my ribs. “Chloe! Are you trying to kill my mother?!” The sharp pain in my abdomen woke me up instantly. Woken up in the dead of night and assaulted for no reason—even with my usually calm temperament, I was furious. “Brad! What the hell is wrong with you?” Brad shoved his mother toward me, his finger jabbing aggressively almost into my eye. “You have the nerve to ask what’s wrong?” “I trusted you enough to bring my mom to you, and this is how you treat her?” “You know exactly what you put inside her uterus!” I froze, unable to believe my ears. Put what inside her uterus? “What are you talking about? There has to be a misunderstanding…” Despite my anger, patient health came first. I immediately tapped into my professional training, reviewing the procedure in my mind. Just a month ago, Brad brought Brenda to the hospital to see me. I removed a very old, embedded IUD from Brenda’s uterus and sent them home. That was it. I never imagined Brad would suspect I planted a foreign object inside his own mother. Relying on my professional ethics, I tried to patiently explain. “I only removed the IUD, Mrs. Sterling. There were no additional procedures…” The next second, my face stung. Brenda slapped me hard. “Still lying? Don’t think I don’t know your game!” “You just want to listen in on our secrets so you can control my son’s life!” “Let me tell you, you sick freak, keep dreaming!” “As long as I’m alive, you’ll never succeed!” I was completely stunned by the slap. I had never been hit in my adult life, let alone by my boyfriend’s mother. Seeing my shock, Brenda sneered. “Still playing dumb? Let’s see how long you can keep this act up!” She began tearing through my apartment, smashing things while screaming maniacally, “Let’s see you eavesdrop on this… let’s see if you dare!” I snapped out of it and yelled for them to stop, but Brad grabbed me, pinning my arms. I was forced to watch helplessly as Brenda destroyed the home I had carefully curated. Expensive ceramics, framed photos, electronics… Brenda smashed everything in sight. When I saw her heading toward the curio cabinet in the center of the living room, I couldn’t contain my rage any longer. “Don’t you dare touch that!” I bit down hard on Brad’s arm holding me. I tasted blood, and Brad yelled in pain, flinging me onto the floor. My back slammed into the corner of a table, sending blinding pain through my body. Ignoring the pain, I scrambled up and rushed toward the cabinet. Inside that cabinet was everything left of my late parents. 2 Seeing my desperation, Brenda’s expression turned vicious. “So worried? I guess this cabinet is important to you, huh?” As she spoke, she opened the glass door and grabbed a trophy, winding up to throw it. “No! Stop!” That trophy was from my parents’ first national medical competition win. It was the witness to the start of their love story. They cherished it their entire lives. I sucked in a cold breath, forcing myself to calm down. “Brenda, please. We can talk about this like adults…” “Talk? Did you think about talking when you planted a bug in me?” Brenda showed no intention of resolving anything. Her face was dark and cruel. “Unless… you get down on your knees and beg. Otherwise, don’t blame me for what happens.” Before I could react, she loosened her grip on the trophy. “Don’t!” I lunged forward, fighting the pain in my back, but the glass award hit the hardwood floor, shattering into pieces. I watched as Brenda casually picked up a framed photo, looking at me threateningly. Brad just stood there, watching his mother humiliate me. “Chloe, this really is your fault. It’s normal for Mom to be upset…” “Baby, just get on your knees and apologize to Mom, take the device out, and we can put this behind us…” I almost laughed out loud at Brad’s shamelessness. “Why should I apologize for something I didn’t do!” The next second, my head snapped to the side from another slap. Brad’s face twisted into a snarl. “Didn’t you hear me tell you to kneel!” Brenda threw the framed photo at me. The sharp corner of the frame sliced my forehead, and blood immediately started trickling down my face. I couldn’t worry about the wound. Seeing my parents’ legacy about to be destroyed, and after a fierce internal struggle, I closed my eyes and dropped heavily to my knees. “Brenda, I’m sorry.” “It’s all my fault. I’m begging you, please stop smashing things…” “But I really didn’t do those things… I really didn’t!” I swallowed the humiliation, thinking this would satisfy them enough to spare my parents’ belongings. I underestimated Brenda. Seeing me on my knees gave her a look of pure sadistic pleasure. Then, she grabbed a heavy vase nearby and hurled it at the cabinet. The glass doors shattered, and my parents’ awards crashed onto the floor. My eyes nearly popped out of my head. “No!” “You said if I begged, you’d leave their things alone!” Brad and Brenda looked down at me with smug satisfaction. “I said I wanted you to kneel and apologize…” Brenda sneered. “But I never said I’d spare your parents’ junk.” Watching her venomous smile, a sharp pain pierced my heart, and tears burst forth. “You… you monster!” “Me? Look at yourself. This is the price for plotting against us!” I ignored their gloating. Without a word, I crouched down. Piece by piece, I solemnly picked up the fragments from the floor. The sharp glass sliced my palms, turning them bloody. I didn’t feel it. Tears mixed with blood, making the cuts sting even more. But I clutched the shards tightly, almost masochistically. As if by holding them tight enough, the items could be restored, and my parents wouldn’t be gone. Ignoring the psychotic mother and son, I gathered everything together and held it reverently in my arms. When I looked up again, my eyes were ice cold. I called 911. 3 Brad, watching coldly from the side, noticed my action immediately. He snatched the phone from my hand and ended the call. “Trying to call the cops? In your dreams!” With a ferocious look, he shoved me back onto the floor. The glass shards embedded deeper into my palms, adding injury to injury. Brad loomed over me. “If you don’t take that thing out today, don’t blame me for forgetting our three years together!” “Hey! Chloe, are you listening to me!” Brad tried to grab me again, but I dodged his outstretched hand, looking at him with utter indifference. “I told you, I didn’t put anything inside your mother. If you don’t believe me, go to a hospital and get a scan. Stop acting crazy in my home.” Even a saint has limits, and I am a living, breathing human being. They had insulted my character, my professional ethics, and destroyed my parents’ memorial. No matter how good my temper was, I was done enduring it. I kicked them out on the spot. “Now, get the hell out of my house!” Brad wanted to keep yelling, but Brenda, a flicker of calculation in her eyes, stopped him. “Son, forget it. I don’t want to affect your relationship because of me…” “Chloe probably put that thing in me because she loves you too much… surely not because she suspected you’d cheat…” “Sigh, I’m old and useless. It doesn’t matter if my body gets violated…” Hearing Brenda’s passive-aggressive incendiary remarks, Brad exploded exactly as planned. “Suspecting me of cheating? Does she have no trust in me at all? We’re done!” “And Mom! Why are you still defending her?” I was too tired to watch their bizarre mother-son performance. I walked to the door and threw it open. “Say whatever you have to say outside. Don’t loiter in my home.” Brad choked on my words, threw out one last threat, and stormed off angrily. I ignored him, focusing entirely on salvaging my parents’ belongings. I knew my relationship with Brad was over. Based solely on his mother’s delusion, he pinned a non-existent crime on me and even destroyed my mother’s legacy. I decided the next time I saw Brad, I would officially break up with him. I just didn’t expect the next time would be so soon. They weren’t done yet. They came to my hospital to cause a scene. 4 I was consulting with a patient when Brad and Brenda aggressively barged into my exam room. Brenda was holding a handmade banner, sitting on the floor throwing a tantrum. The banner was full of slander against me. They ignored everything else, grabbing random patients and shouting. “Everyone, stay away from this quack! She’s a fraud!” “My mom came to her to have an IUD removed, and she turned around and put a listening device in her uterus!” “You dare let her treat you? Do you have a death wish?!” My blood pressure skyrocketed at their antics. Patients and their families inside and outside the clinic looked at them with “Are you insane?” expressions. After all, nobody believes you can just “put a listening device in a uterus.” But Brad and Brenda were committed to the bit. They ripped the network cable out of my computer, deleting all the diagnosis and treatment notes I had just typed. Then, they grabbed a heavy pen holder from the desk and threw it hard at me. It struck my ribs with a dull thud. Flushed with anger at her baseless, blatant lies, ignoring the pain in my side, I stood up abruptly. “What listening device?!” “Brad, haven’t you made enough of a scene? Stop spitting blood!” Hearing this, Brenda escalated, grabbing a nearby person and crying. “Oh my god, the doctor is angry and wants to hit me!” “I was fine before I came here, but ever since her treatment, there are noises inside me every day. She definitely planted a bug!” “My son said she was the best doctor, but she put a bug in my uterus! She must suspect my son is going to cheat on her!” The next second, Brad opened a large thermos he was carrying and splashed red paint all over me. My white coat was instantly ruined, my eyes plastered shut and stinging. The scene was chaos. Brenda tried to rush up and hit me again. Before I could dodge, Brenda was suddenly shoved and stumbled. It was my long-time patient. She didn’t believe a word of Brenda’s story and, seeing me humiliated, stood up for me. She looked at Brad and Brenda with disgust. “A listening device in a uterus? Can’t you at least draft a believable lie?” “Leaving aside if it’s even medically possible, what use would it be to Dr. Carter?” She grabbed my paint-splattered hand and comforted me softly. “Don’t be scared, Dr. Carter!” “I’ve seen plenty of people like them! I’ll call security right now…” Seeing everyone pointing fingers at them and no one taking their side, Brad and Brenda left in a huff. I let out a breath of relief and went to change my clothes amidst looks of sympathy. But the moment I stepped out, the Hospital Chief of Staff, Dr. Albright, appeared at the door. She looked self-righteous, staring at me. “Dr. Carter, two patients have filed complaints that you placed a listening device in one of them…” “Dr. Albright, I didn’t. You know me…” She cut off my explanation. “Enough! Patients are rioting. Can you reflect on yourself for a moment? Why are they targeting you and no one else?!” “I don’t have time to waste here. Come to my office immediately!” With no other choice, I followed the Chief to her office. 5 As soon as we entered, Brenda lunged at me, punching and kicking. My glasses were knocked off my face. While dodging her blows, I bent down to pick them up. A polished leather shoe stepped firmly onto my frames. Brad crushed my glasses beneath his foot. He looked down at me arrogantly, demanding I kneel and apologize to Brenda. “Chloe, I’m trying to keep the peace because of our three years together, but you’re being ungrateful…” “I advise you, while I still have patience, hurry up and kneel to apologize to my mom. Don’t refuse the face I’m giving you!” Dr. Albright also turned on me, threatening to fire me for lacking medical ethics. “Mr. Sterling, rest assured, I have already cancelled Chloe’s nomination for the Harper Fellowship. If she doesn’t handle this well, I will remove her as Chief Resident!” “Dr. Albright! You can’t!” The Chief, usually cordial, suddenly revealed her snobbish side, glaring at me with contempt and humiliation. “I always knew Dr. Carter was manipulative. Who knows if she even got the Chief Resident position legitimately!” “Otherwise, how could a woman become Chief so young?” My eyes turned red with rage at her shameless words. More than a decade of grueling medical training was wiped away in a sentence, reducing me to an opportunistic schemer? Looking at the people in front of me, they all felt like strangers. “Brad, can you please just get your mother a scan before you keep causing trouble?” He looked dead certain, then looked at me with disappointment. “We already got checked. We didn’t bring out the results because we didn’t want to cement your guilt, but you’re ungrateful…” “Since that’s the case, don’t blame us!” With that, Brad started a livestream on his phone. Behind him, Brenda’s face stiffened slightly; clearly, she hadn’t expected Brad to blow this up online. As a minor internet influencer, people flooded into Brad’s stream immediately. [I’m 실명 reporting Chloe Carter, this psycho! She put a listening device in my mom’s uterus!] [An OB-GYN planted a bug inside a patient and won’t admit it!] [Even if she’s my girlfriend, I can’t watch her keep doing wrong!] The chat was instantly enraged, raining curses down on me. [WTF? Planting a bug in a living person’s uterus? This doctor is insane!] [Support for you, bro. Feel bad for your mom. Call the cops and lock her up!] Seeing so much support, Brad gave me another arrogant, charitable look at the camera. “Chloe, I’m livestreaming now. It’s not too late to take out the device and apologize…” “I know since I’m so amazing, being with me makes you anxious, but you can’t harm my mom like this…” I just looked calmly at him and the rigid-faced Brenda, gesturing for him to produce the examination report. Our hospital’s reports have unique coding; it’s impossible to fake one out of thin air. The next second, I was stunned. Brad pulled out a redacted examination report and showed it to the camera. “This is my mom’s report. Viewers, please help get justice for me and my mom!” The report in Brad’s hand indicated: Foreign object present in the uterus. “How is that possible!” 6 I looked up in disbelief. But when I caught Brenda’s expression—a mix of guilt and smugness—I realized she must have tampered with something. In an instant, the online abuse, the real-life spitting, and the verbal attacks felt like a mountain crushing me. [Quack! I can’t believe I booked an expert appointment with her! She’s black-hearted!] [She actually planted a foreign object… who would dare see her now!] Dr. Albright looked utterly disappointed and fired me on the spot. “Dr. Carter, this hospital doesn’t need a doctor with no ethics like you!” “You can get out now.” “Not only that, I will ensure you are blacklisted from the entire industry, to do right by the patients!” Brenda gloated from the side, sneering maliciously. “Wouldn’t it have been better to just kneel and beg earlier? Now look at you, you have nothing.” Brad also lamented to the livestream with feigned heartbreak: “I never expected my girlfriend to be this kind of person…” “I harmed my own mother…” I clutched the report tightly, trying to find any inconsistency. Dr. Albright called hospital security to throw me out immediately. My former colleagues looked on with unbearable pity as they pulled me toward the exit. Was my reputation really going to be destroyed today? Even though I did nothing wrong… Just as I felt total despair, the ultrasound image attached to the report started looking familiar. Suddenly, a lightbulb went on. I struggled violently free from the guards, rushed in front of Dr. Albright, and shouted: “This report is fake! It’s fake!” Everyone looked skeptical, thinking I was just a desperate dog barking at a wall. I pointed directly at Brenda’s lie: “This report isn’t hers!” “This belongs to another patient of mine from a month ago!” I remembered it clearly because patients with legitimate uterine foreign objects were rare, so the case stuck in my memory. I never imagined Brenda would steal someone else’s report to frame me! The crowd burst into an uproar. Ignoring everyone, I made a snap decision and dragged Brenda back into the examination room. This time, the new scan showed: [Cystic echo. Absolutely no foreign objects like a listening device.] Seeing this result, Brad looked at Brenda in shock. “Mom, didn’t you say that report just now was yours? You swore the doctor said there was a bug inside you…” “Now the result is different, how do I explain this to my fans!?” Facing her son’s questioning, a flash of guilt and panic crossed Brenda’s eyes, quickly replaced by malice. She sat down on the floor and started wailing loud enough to wake the dead. “Oh my god! The hospital is definitely faking it! The hospital is faking reports to protect their doctor!” “Causing my son to doubt me… you black-hearted hospital, you’re trying to kill me!” She threw a tantrum regardless of the setting, attracting patients from the hallway, many of whom started filming us with their phones.

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Her disappearance was sudden, unexpected – my fiancée, vanished the night before our wedding, just hours before she was due to hand over crucial evidence in a high-stakes smuggling case. Even when the authorities declared her fallen in the line of duty, I refused to believe it. For five long years, I searched. Then, I saw her. Standing beside a forensic expert hired by the very police department that had declared her dead, her belly subtly rounded, her eyes holding nothing but the blankness of a stranger. Overjoyed, I brought her home, and slowly, painstakingly, helped her reclaim her memories. She made a resolute decision, ending that pregnancy, and married me. The man by her side that day, Dr. Vance Holloway, simply vanished from her life. It wasn’t until a critical operation, when she threw herself in front of a bullet meant for me, her lifeblood staining the ground, that she whispered in my ear: “I’ve repaid what I owed you in this life, Julian.” Her voice, barely a breath, added, “Next time… don’t look for me. Let me live my life with him.” I understood then. She regretted it all. And then, I opened my eyes again. I was back at the airport, back to the day we first reunited. … The afternoon sun, fractured by the terminal’s glass walls, cast shifting patterns of light and shadow across the polished floor. Beside me, a sharp intake of breath, laced with disbelieving shock. “Boss, is that… Elaine? She’s alive!” “Lucas, keep your voice down.” I bit out the words, my gaze, however, was already magnetically drawn, pinned to the figure across the concourse. “Captain Thorne, it really is her! Five years!” Lucas’s voice trembled. We’d been classmates at the academy, and he, more than anyone, knew the hell I’d walked through these past five years. I snapped back to reality, my knuckles white from gripping nothing but air. In front of me, a woman in a cream-colored trench coat leaned in, listening to the man beside her. Sunlight painted a soft curve across her slightly swollen abdomen. As she turned her head, her eyes met mine. They were clear, but held only polite detachment, as if she were looking at a complete stranger. This was it. The place we’d reunited. The genesis of every tragedy in my previous life. My instincts screamed, and I instinctively moved, cutting off my colleague, who was poised to charge forward. “Don’t.” Lucas looked utterly bewildered. “Why not? That’s Elaine! She’s not dead!” In my previous life, I’d seen her here too. I’d rushed forward like a madman, desperate to claim her. I’d pleaded, pulled strings, even called in her parents. Eventually, I brought her home. We’d found the best psychologists and neurologists, working day and night to retrieve her memories. The day she finally remembered everything, she wept, silently went to the hospital to terminate the pregnancy, and then married me. But the day we signed the marriage certificate, Vance Holloway vanished from her world as if he’d never existed. Her silence, the deep-seated sorrow in her eyes, became an unbreachable chasm between us, a forbidden zone in our marriage. It wasn’t until that mission, when she took that fatal bullet for me, that her final request was to be released, to be free, to live her life with Vance in another existence. The thought squeezed my throat, and my voice came out raspy, “She’s pregnant.” I took a deep, shuddering breath, swallowing the metallic tang in my mouth. “And the man with her… that’s Vance Holloway, the expert the International Criminal Police Organization hired.” Lucas’s urgency flared. “Then all the more reason to bring her back! You searched for her for five years! We all thought she was blown to bits with the evidence in that smuggling case…” “She’s doing well now.” I cut him off, my gaze sweeping over Vance’s hand, instinctively resting on her lower back. My heart felt like it was being pummeled by a blunt object, again and again. “Look at her. She doesn’t recognize us. Does she look like someone clinging to the past?” Lucas still tried to argue. “But she’s Elaine! You two were inseparable, childhood sweethearts, graduated the academy together, even had your wedding date set…” “After five years in the thick of it, dodging bullets and accumulating scars, my body isn’t suited for building a family anymore.” Lucas froze. It took him a moment to find his voice. “Captain Thorne, don’t talk nonsense. Modern medicine is so advanced…” “It’s true.” My voice was eerily calm, as if discussing someone else’s fate. Five years chasing criminals on the border had left me with chronic back and knee issues. The internal injuries from the bullet graze in the last mission hadn’t healed properly either. “My last check-up confirmed permanent functional damage.” But none of that was the real reason. I couldn’t forget Elaine on that operating table in my past life, couldn’t forget her tracing her empty womb, saying, “Now we’re even,” couldn’t forget the look of release in her eyes as she was shot, that blood-flecked “Next time…” A moment of silence stretched between us before Lucas’s voice softened. “Even so, she should be allowed to choose.” I shook my head, my Adam’s apple bobbing. “I owe her enough already. If I hadn’t pushed for her to go undercover in that smuggling operation, none of this would have happened. Now she’s forgotten the past, she has a new life. Why would I drag her back into the mud?” In my past life, I’d forced her back to my side, believing it was salvation, but it ultimately became a living hell for us both. She guarded her guilt towards Vance, and I clung to my obsession with her. We exhausted every last ounce of affection in endless arguments. It wasn’t until that look of liberated relief in her eyes as she shielded me from the bullet that I fully understood: Some missed chances are for a lifetime. Lucas sighed, finally relenting. “So… we just watch?” “First, we finish the mission. Command is waiting for Professor Holloway.” The escort process went more smoothly than anticipated. Vance Holloway was polite and composed, his gaze towards the woman beside him filled with quiet indulgence. At the end, he requested our assistance in helping “Elara Vance” find her family in the country. “She hasn’t been well, and she’s been through a lot. We’re not pushing her to recover her memories; we’ll let it happen naturally. But we’ll need official identification to get married, so we’d appreciate your help.” I handed back the form with “Elara Vance’s” basic information, my tone strictly professional. “It’s our duty, Professor. Congratulations to Miss… Vance, on starting a new life. We’ll verify the information and issue the necessary documents as soon as possible.” Elara nodded and offered a polite, distant smile. “Thank you, Captain Thorne.” For the next few days, I forced myself not to inquire about any progress. Until Vance brought her to the precinct himself to confirm the paperwork. The office door opened. Seeing me, she instinctively shrank back behind Vance, her already pale face draining of color. I knew. The internal inquiries into Elara’s identity over the past few days must have unearthed fragments of her past, putting both her and Vance on guard. Now, she sat on the visitor’s sofa, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her trench coat, her eyes darting away, refusing to meet mine. Her thin face radiated an obvious unease. “Captain Thorne, are all the documents in order?” Vance spoke first, his tone polite but unmistakably distant, lacking the previous warmth. I pushed the neatly compiled file across the table. My voice was steady. “Everything’s in order. The registry system has confirmed: Elara Vance is Elaine Monroe. Her parents… we’ve informed them.” At the mention of her parents, Elaine’s shoulders trembled almost imperceptibly. I guessed she had probably already seen them, and vaguely learned something of her past. Vance took the file. When he looked up at me, the wariness in his eyes was undisguised. “Thank you for your diligence, Captain. However, I’m curious, you seem particularly invested in Miss Vance’s situation?” The question was blunt, a clear demarcation. Behind me, the muffled footsteps of my colleagues told me they’d sensed the shift in atmosphere, discreetly avoiding our conversation. I replied calmly, “Elaine Monroe was a cadet at the academy, and a former colleague. Verifying the identity of a missing person is simply part of my duty.” Vance persisted, his voice hardening slightly. “But from what I understand, Captain Thorne, you’ve been searching for her for the past five years?” Before I could respond, the office door burst open. “Julian!” Mrs. Monroe spotted me instantly, rushing forward, her eyes reddened. “Thank heavens for you, we wouldn’t have found Elara without you. This girl…” Mr. Monroe clapped me on the shoulder, his voice filled with emotion. “You’ve worked so hard all these years. We all thought… we all thought she was gone, and only you never gave up.” Their warmth and familiarity made the atmosphere even more charged. Elaine instinctively edged closer to Vance. Mrs. Monroe gripped my hand, chattering on. “Isn’t it ironic? You two were supposed to get married right after graduation, then all this happened. Now, she’s back, but…” She glanced at Elaine’s stomach, then at Vance. “Aunt Eleanor, you’ve misunderstood.” I was about to explain, but Elaine suddenly stood up, her voice trembling almost imperceptibly. She walked to Vance’s side, gently took his arm, and looked at her parents, her gaze exceptionally firm. “Dad, Mom, I think you already know. Vance is my fiancé. Captain Thorne and I… we just knew each other before. We don’t have any special relationship now.” “Please don’t bring up the past. I’m doing very well now.” Mrs. Monroe was stunned, then sighed. “Elara, you and Julian were so good together. School, training, you said you’d never marry anyone else…” “Mom!” Elaine cut her off, her eyes welling up. “That’s all in the past. Now, I just want to build a life with Vance.” Vance reached out and put his arm around her shoulder, his gaze settling on me, a distinct possessiveness in his eyes. “Mr. and Mrs. Monroe, I understand your affection for Captain Thorne, but Elara has chosen me.” Vance, at just the right moment, put an arm around Elara’s shoulders, looking at me, his tone calm but with an undeniable declaration. “Captain Thorne, thank you for helping my fiancée find her family. I trust Captain Thorne is a man of integrity and would not interfere in another’s relationship.” A heavy silence fell over the office. I looked at the older couple, who once treated me like a son, then at Elaine, her eyes full of defensiveness, and Vance, shielding her. My heart felt like it was submerged in ice water. I took a deep breath, gently led Mr. and Mrs. Monroe aside, and spoke in a low voice, clear enough to be heard. “Uncle David, Aunt Eleanor, finding Elara again is wonderful. But her safety and happiness are paramount now. If she doesn’t remember, forcing it won’t help.” I paused, my throat tightening. “Elara and I… we were not meant to be. Congratulations on your family being reunited. From now on… I won’t intrude.” Mrs. Monroe’s tears immediately began to fall. She clutched my arm. “Julian, don’t say that! For these past five years, if it weren’t for you holding things together, our family would have fallen apart… we remember everything you’ve done for us…” Mr. Monroe also let out a heavy sigh, his voice hoarse. “Foolish boy, what’s this about intruding? Even if you’re not our son-in-law, this will always be your home! Come back for dinner anytime!” “That might not be appropriate.” Vance suddenly spoke, his tone cool. “Since Captain Thorne has decided to let go, it would be best to completely cut ties, to avoid further disruption to our lives.” Elara, head bowed, softly echoed, “Vance is right, Captain Thorne. In the future… perhaps we shouldn’t meet again.” Mr. Monroe’s face immediately darkened. He shot Vance a sharp glance, his voice laced with suppressed anger. “My wife and I aren’t so muddled that we’d discard someone once they’re no longer useful! What Julian has done for Elara these past five years, we’ve seen and remembered. We already consider him a son. It’s not for an outsider to comment on.” Mrs. Monroe, her eyes red-rimmed, held my hand tightly. “Exactly! If you find Julian’s presence an inconvenience, then don’t come back to this house! We recognize him as our kin, and that has nothing to do with you!” Vance’s face tightened. He attempted to explain, “Mrs. Monroe, you’ve misunderstood. We just feel that since Elara has chosen to start a new life, some unnecessary ties might…” “Unnecessary ties?” Mr. Monroe cut him off, his voice now chilling. “Professor Holloway, you saved our daughter, and we’re grateful. But we’ve seen how Julian has lived these past five years, and it pains us. Now you dismiss him with a phrase like ‘unnecessary ties’? Isn’t that taking advantage of him?” Seeing the escalating tension, Elaine quickly took her mother’s arm, her voice pleading. “Mom! Dad! Please don’t be like this… Vance didn’t mean it that way. We don’t dislike Captain Thorne. He just wants me to focus on my pregnancy. The past is a burden to me, and I just want a peaceful life now.” Watching her instinctively defend Vance, my heart felt like it was being crushed, a dull ache spreading through me. Five years of searching, and in her eyes, it had become a past that shouldn’t even be mentioned. I took a deep breath, gently pulling Mr. and Mrs. Monroe away, who were still ready to argue. “Uncle David, Aunt Eleanor, I understand your feelings. But Elaine is right, maintaining some distance is necessary.” I looked at Vance and Elaine, then continued. “Professor Holloway’s concerns are valid. I will be mindful in the future, and try not to intrude on your time with her parents, to avoid any awkwardness.” Mrs. Monroe was distraught. “Julian! What nonsense are you talking about! That is your home!” I shook my head, my voice softening. “That will always be your home, Uncle David and Aunt Eleanor, and I respect that. But Elaine has her own family now. My frequent presence really isn’t appropriate. If you wish to see me, you can always come to the precinct or my place. I will gladly host you. There’s no need to hurt your relationship with your daughter over me.”

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1 When I learned again that the child my wife carried was conceived with her new lover, I didn’t rage or push for an abortion as before. Instead, I silently supported her pregnancy, ensuring she carried it to term. Soon, I became gossip fodder for the elite circles—every cheating socialite wanted a spouse as “magnanimous” as me, mistresses hoped to ensnare my wife, and rich househusbands called me a disgrace. Ten months later, she gave birth safely. Emerging from the delivery room, Catherine, ever gentle, kissed my hand. “Thanks to you, my child with Liam is healthy and beautiful. Don’t worry—he only wants to be a father, not threaten your place as Davies’ son‑in‑law. You’re still the one I love most.” People said I loved her so blindly I accepted the mistress, but only I knew—this was a child the Davies matriarch forced me to protect, using an old life‑saving debt. With their firstborn now born, the divorce agreement she promised should finally take effect. … The night before Catherine’s delivery, I was given a sufficient dose of tranquilizers and bone-weakening agents to prevent me from harming her or the child. When the medication wore off, I opened my eyes to see her embracing the baby with unbridled joy. “Darling, Grandma has already named our child. Just sign here, and we can register him.” She handed me the birth certificate. Seeing the name “Michael Davies” on it, my foggy mind instantly cleared. Michael. That was the beautiful wish I had for my unborn biological son. It was our hope for our love. It was also the name of the thirteenth generation’s firstborn son in the Davies family tree. Years ago, to save Catherine from kidnappers, I took a knife wound for her, damaging my reproductive function. That part of my life became difficult. Our first IVF child, a boy, was seven months along when Catherine, in an act of misguided compassion, helped a drugged Liam. After a night with him, she suffered a massive hemorrhage, leading to a forced abortion. That was a fully formed boy. I had prepared to give him a symbolic burial, to bring him into our ancestral graveyard. But the fortune teller said the child didn’t count as a full-term stillbirth, the timing was bad, and we had to wait. That wait stretched for over a year. During her pregnancy, she whispered to me countless times that she wanted to give the name “Michael Davies” to this illegitimate child. I always refused. But now, looking at her expectant eyes, I only found her past tears and apologies disgusting. I knew Grandma couldn’t have chosen this name. It was merely Liam, who liked to snatch everything from me, whispering ideas into Catherine’s ear. Anyway, divorce was a certainty. A heartless mother’s surname was not worth having. “Whatever. Call him what you like.” “I only have one request: don’t put my name down as the father. My biological son in heaven would be displeased.” Catherine paused, guilt flickering in her eyes. “Noah, don’t worry, I’m only using him because of his shared bloodline with you. Liam and I…” She didn’t finish speaking when a sudden crash came from outside the door. “You beast, who allowed you to show your face here!” Liam was knocked to the ground, his eyes red. “I just wanted to see the child.” Grandma Davies relentlessly struck him with her cane. “Get out!” In that instant, Catherine was like a startled bird. Disregarding her post-delivery body, she carelessly tossed the baby onto me and rushed out. The hundred-plus needle marks and self-inflicted wounds on my arms, each as thick as a child’s arm, were pressed open. But she left as if she hadn’t even noticed. Her unwavering movement, shielding Liam from the old lady’s cane, made her earlier comforting words seem incredibly ridiculous. “Grandma! It was my idea! I did it for the Davies family! Don’t hurt an innocent person!” Grandma Davies froze, unconsciously looking at me. Seeing the white bandage on my arm soaked with blood, she was angry at her own helplessness. “You wicked child! He was given hundreds of injections just yesterday! Can’t you see all his wounds?” Catherine’s eyes widened with panic and regret. She was about to rush over to me. But Liam suddenly collapsed behind her. She panicked, disregarding my injuries, and helped him up, intending to leave. Grandma Davies fiercely blocked her path. “You’re not leaving! You’re so reckless right after giving birth!” “Your husband is still inside! Do you even want this family anymore!” 2 Catherine’s eyes were filled with hesitation. “Yes! But Liam is hurt from your beating! I can’t just abandon him! Noah… he has you, he’ll be fine!” Once upon a time, she had been just as reckless for me. Once upon a time, she would never have made me the choice to be cast aside. I cast her an indifferent glance. “Grandma, let her go.” She seemed surprised by my magnanimity. After all, in the past, to keep her from leaving, I had thrown tantrums, rolled on the floor, self-harmed, and shed all my masculine dignity. Her expression was complex. She wanted to say something, but ultimately, she left. A nurse helped me re-dress my wounds. The baby was sleeping soundly. My phone suddenly showed a message from her. [I’m sorry. I just didn’t want a scene at the hospital. It would affect the Davies family’s reputation.] [Liam is unconscious and can’t be left alone. I won’t come over for now. I’ll recover with him. Don’t worry.] I stared at the screen, stunned for a long time. I remembered once, when I heard she was injured on a business trip, I took an eleven-hour flight, accompanied her to her check-ups, and stayed by her side every minute. Back then, she was overwhelmingly touched, swearing she would never let me down in this life. Seeing me sigh, Grandma Davies snatched my phone away. She read the cold words on the screen and snorted. “That ungrateful girl! I’ll deal with her when she gets back. Noah, don’t worry, Grandma…” At this, I suddenly laughed, my gaze calm as I looked at her. “You tacitly allowed all of this, didn’t you?” “I no longer care what happens to her. You promised me earlier that you would help me divorce once this child was safely born. I hope you keep your word.” Her expression froze, her eyes filled with deep guilt. “Grandma is sorry.” “I’ve already tricked her into signing the divorce agreement. You rest up well. We’ll leave after she finishes her confinement.” Grandma took the baby with her, arranging for someone to care for him. I, in turn, discreetly returned to my pre-marital residence, avoiding gossip. But that very night, rumors spread throughout the business world about the Davies heiress’s rage for her lover, defying her powerful family to protect her uncle, despite her postpartum state. Davies Group stock continued to fall, leaving Catherine overwhelmed. Liam’s influencer account was swarmed by netizens. The incident where I had personally exposed him for seducing his sister-in-law, which Catherine had suppressed, resurfaced. The platform was full of condemnation. If not for Catherine’s help, his account would likely have been shut down with heavy penalties. The next time I saw her was seven days later. The first thing she did was look at me with disappointment. “Noah Harding, are you happy, seeking revenge on us like this?” I paused, then quickly realized she was blaming me for the spread of the gossip. Of course. After all, I used to work in media. My specialty was fanning the flames. Unfortunately, the first time I went crazy and exposed her affair with Liam, she threatened my company with privacy violations and defamation, forcing them to fire me. Now, it truly wouldn’t be easy to find someone to help. I gave her a sidelong glance, long past the feeling of being wronged when misunderstood. I picked up the anniversary memorial gift for Michael. “You should know, your scandals aren’t just the obvious ones. If I wanted to expose more, you’d probably have to bleed even more.” She stood by the door, stunned for a long time. Almost helplessly, she spoke. “After this, I’ll break up with him. But promise me, can we live a good life together from now on? With a child, we could be a happy family.” She had said things like that almost every day during her pregnancy. Yet it didn’t stop her from continuing to be entangled with Liam. Either she felt sorry for him being an illegitimate child, or she thought he was lonely without family to rely on. In short, there were a thousand reasons for their passionate involvement and her helping him rise to prominence. She stood by the door, refusing to leave, as if I wouldn’t move until I answered. Looking at the sunlight she blocked, I perfunctorily agreed. It wasn’t until the next morning, when unblurred videos of my alleged infidelity went viral, that I understood what she meant by “after this.” Catherine released a clarification video. In the video, she tearfully told the media that I had been caught cheating during her pregnancy by my younger brother and had then falsely spread rumors about her as revenge. 3 Liam, in turn, sorrowfully claimed that he had merely advised me not to hurt Catherine’s feelings, but I, believing he would expose my affair, sought revenge. Everyone urged Catherine to divorce me, this upstart. Yet, she maintained an image of deep affection. “No matter what mistakes Noah makes in this life, I cannot stop loving him.” Watching her hypocritical act, I couldn’t help but vomit. Hearing this, Catherine, who was outside the door, rushed in. “What’s wrong?” I frowned, looking at Liam, who had followed her in, and shook off her hand. “Nothing, just disgusted with you. To protect your mistress’s crimes, you’ll slander your husband’s reputation at any cost. Catherine Davies, your love is truly magnificent.” Her face turned ashen. She opened her mouth, wanting to explain. But Liam suddenly knelt down. “I’m sorry, brother, it’s all my fault! Sister-in-law only used you as a shield for me. But she’s still in confinement, afraid you’d be angry, she came to explain to you despite her condition. Don’t be angry with her.” Catherine looked at him with tenderness, her gaze chastising me. “I came here to tell you about this. Those videos were all AI-generated by me. Ultimately, he’s your brother. It’s only right for you to sacrifice yourself to help him. My helping him is helping you maintain your family ties. Why must you be so aggressive towards him?” “Moreover, you’re unemployed. Reputation means nothing to you. What outsiders say won’t affect my feelings for you. It’s enough that I know it’s fake. But he’s different. He has no one to rely on, and he depends on the media for his livelihood. If his image and reputation are ruined, everything is over for him.” Listening to her sanctimonious justifications, I only felt nauseous. Unemployed, was that not also thanks to her? She not only forced my company to fire me but also warned the entire media industry that anyone who hired me would be going against her. My job interviews constantly hit dead ends. I finally found a private studio, but she maliciously reported us. Ultimately, all my media professional licenses were revoked, and I became a disgrace to the industry, hated by all. I couldn’t be bothered to argue with her. All in all, in about half a month, I would be completely free. Grandma also promised me that she would clear my name then. Their opinions no longer mattered. I looked at her with an expressionless face, let out a long breath, and turned over to lie on the bed. “Do whatever you want. It’s up to you.” She thought I was going to try and hit Liam like before, so she tensed up, fiercely shielding him. But seeing me turn my back and lie down, all her emotions came to an abrupt halt. After a long moment, she asked me, her voice filled with disbelief. “You… you’re not angry?” My voice was flat. “Haven’t you always wanted me to get along with him?” She let out a sigh of relief and smiled. “You’ve finally learned your lesson. I knew you weren’t that heartless. I’ll definitely make it up to you later.” I didn’t respond. I didn’t even look at her until they left. After a long time, I touched my chest, which felt completely still. So this was what letting go felt like. In the following days, she seemed to feel guilty, sending me gifts every now and then. She wasn’t discouraged when met with resistance, only endlessly recounting our beautiful future life together. It wasn’t until she brought up the child’s full moon celebration that she hesitantly spoke. “Liam will never be able to acknowledge his biological child in this life, so I want him to openly attend the child’s full moon celebration as the father while the child is still too young to understand.” “It would complete his regret, don’t you think?” My hands didn’t stop their work; I didn’t even glance up. “I told you, it’s up to you. This isn’t my child to begin with. Whatever you want to do has nothing to do with me.” She stiffened, her eyes welling up with redness and a hint of anger. She snatched the memorial items for Michael from my hand. “Why have you been like this all these days? Do you know what his attendance represents? It represents tacitly acknowledging him as a son-in-law of the Davies family. You used to never agree to that.” I paused, then glanced at her indifferently. “Isn’t this better? Last month, when you were ‘helping’ him with his needs, didn’t you also say it was a pity he couldn’t have a proper status in this life?” Watching her, ashen-faced and frozen like a statue, I retrieved the items. My emotions were so stable it was as if nothing had happened. Her endless explanations, attempting to claim she didn’t love him, but only had physical intimacy and felt responsible for him—disgusting rhetoric—were defeated by my silence.

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When the internet leaked the news that I was just one of thirty-eight mistresses kept by Silas Sterling—a “Fake Mrs. Sterling”—I was eight months pregnant, busy managing the PR crisis involving him and a young model’s bed photos. Everyone said I was the most dedicated PR Queen in the Manhattan elite circle. My husband’s scandals flew ahead, and I followed behind, cleaning up the mess with a straight face. I had handled over a hundred crises for Silas and issued non-disclosure agreements and hush money to countless women he had slept with. I never expected that one day, I would become the subject of the PR myself. When I found Silas, he was lying naked with Chloe Vance in the nursery I had prepared for our baby. Condoms were scattered across the floor. Seeing me, the usually lethargic man shushed me. “Talk outside. Chloe is a light sleeper.” I didn’t explode. I only asked calmly, “Does today’s news need a statement?” Thinking of the photoshopped marriage certificate Chloe had posted, Silas smirked. “Good girl, Elena. Chloe is sensitive. Don’t expose her.” I nodded. “Understood.” I turned around and posted a public statement on social media: [I am indeed not in a marital relationship with Mr. Sterling. I would like to congratulate Mr. Sterling on his new marriage.] A wave of mockery erupted online, but Silas grabbed my hand, satisfied. “Once you have the baby, we’ll have a proper wedding.” I didn’t answer. He didn’t know that once this child was born, my debt to the Sterling family would be paid in full. And someone else had been waiting ten years for me. A wedding was already prepared—just not by him. The man on the other end of the phone was ecstatic. “Elena! You finally said yes.” “Wait for me! I’m flying back to marry you right now!” I hung up, only to find Silas standing behind me. “Did you talk to the reporters? Is it handled?” I looked down at my contact list; it was almost entirely journalists. I curled my lip. I had revolved around him for so long that I had no friends left to call. No wonder he assumed I was working. Seeing my silence, Silas narrowed his eyes and leaned in. “What are you looking at?” I clicked the screen off. “Nothing.” Behind him, movers were bringing in mountains of luxury goods. Brands I had coveted for years but could never justify buying. Seeing the smirk on his face, I reminded him, “I’m about to give birth. I won’t fit into those…” Before I could finish, Silas was excitedly directing the men. “Turn the nursery into a walk-in closet. Move everything in there.” Then, he held out his hand for my keys. “Chloe is packing her bags. She loves this place. Elena, you need to move out for now.” I froze. “What did you say?” Silas smiled carelessly, leaning close to my face. He handed me a deed to a different property. “Consider this your bonus for the hard work.” I watched the maids tear down the curtains I had carefully chosen. The sunlight streaming in was blinding. I remembered the first time Silas brought me here. He had pressed the keys into my palm and said, “Elena, this is your home. No one can ever kick you out.” I had once told him my mother and I were evicted when I was young. He knew I wanted a home that could weather any storm. He gave it to me, and that security kept me by his side for ten years. Through every night he didn’t come home. Through every provocation from other women. Through the mockery of high society. Now, he wanted the keys back. Ten years later, I was being evicted again. “Fine,” I said. I handed him the keys, took the new deed, and turned to leave. Silas looked surprised that I didn’t cause a scene. Usually, I wasn’t the “calm and collected” wife the tabloids described. Every time he cheated, I fought like a lunatic. I even threatened to end it all. He would just pacify me with checks and jewelry. But this time, I was done. I was ready to settle for a quiet life for the sake of the baby, but Silas could sleep with anyone except Chloe Vance. Chloe was the living proof of my father’s betrayal. Chloe and her mother were the ones who drove my mother to jump from a thirty-second-story window. Silas grabbed my wrist. His fingers brushed against the faded scars on my arm, and he flinched, unable to hide his disgust. Then, a rare flash of guilt crossed his eyes. “I’ll have the driver take you. The new place has great light. You’ll like it.” I nodded. Halfway there, the driver turned the car around. “The boss wants us back, ma’am.” Inside the house, smoke filled the air. The servants stood trembling while Silas stared at a scorched pot. Seeing me, he dragged me into the kitchen. “Elena, that soup you always make… teach me how to do it.” I watched him. I watched him sweat as he turned on the stove, overcoming his lifelong fear of fire just to make a pot of soup for the woman he loved. Chloe had posted on Instagram: “In this cold winter, if someone brought me a bowl of hot soup, I’d marry them on the spot!” So Silas, who had never touched a kitchen utensil in his life, was clumsily cooking because of a joke on social media. A few days ago, when I fell in the kitchen, Silas had watched from a distance as if I were a stranger. Later, he posted the security footage of me struggling to get up to a private circle of friends. His caption: “Like a fat pig rolling on the floor.” I silently made the soup for him. He took notes on his phone. When it rang, he answered immediately. I saw the contact name: “Wife.” I felt a hollow chill. If Chloe was his wife, who was I? As he stepped onto the balcony to talk to her, I called his number. It went straight to a busy signal. He had blocked me. I laughed at myself and left. Silas’s mother was waiting for me at the family estate. She sighed. “Elena, I thought you decided to stay for the baby…” I placed the divorce papers on the table. “According to our deal, if I provide an heir, the medical bills the Sterlings paid for my mother are settled. I’m three days from my due date. Let me go.” Ten years ago, Silas was the playboy prince and I was a dishwasher at a bar. He chased me for eighteen months. When his mother found me, my mother was in critical condition. She told me I was the only woman Silas couldn’t forget. She wanted me to manage him and give the family an heir. In exchange, they would pay for my mother’s life support. I didn’t hesitate. “It’s Silas’s loss,” his mother said, nodding. “I’ll arrange your departure after the birth.”

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Because I didn’t get home on time to present a welcome gift to Elias’s illegitimate daughter. He punished me by making me kneel in the snow and reflect for three hours. Subsequently, I received news that my grandmother had been kicked out of the Dawson family villa and sent to a rental apartment. I just calmly dialed my assistant’s number. “Please print another copy of the M&A agreement for Mr. Sterling.” 01 When the butler reported to Elias that his canary had returned to the country with her daughter. Elias was finalizing the details of our wedding anniversary celebration with me, which was seven days away. Upon hearing the news, he immediately instructed the butler to remove the anniversary decorations. And to decorate the Sterling villa into a dream castle for a little princess. He added ten times the budget to buy gifts, insisting on coaxing the mother and daughter back. After giving his orders, he explained to me lightly: “I just want to compensate the child for the fatherly love she missed all these years. If you don’t make things difficult for them, they won’t shake your position as Mrs. Sterling.” I didn’t speak, thinking about how to successfully secure the M&A agreement for the Sterling Group in the afternoon. The deadline for the valuation adjustment agreement (VAM) I signed with Elias during our arranged marriage is in exactly seven days. Once this M&A deal is completed, I will fulfill the last clause of the agreement. The rest is what Elias owes me. Before I left for work, Elias suddenly stopped me. “They will arrive home at 5 PM. I expect you to be home on time to give my daughter her welcome gift. Don’t play any tricks.” To ensure everything went perfectly, there were many details to finalize for the M&A. Even though I rushed home, disregarding the slippery, snowy roads and nearly getting into an accident, I was still ten minutes late. Looking at the gift I prepared, Elias was very cold. “Luna, giving a show of strength to someone coming to our door for the first time is wrong.” He turned and instructed the butler. “Make her kneel in the snow for three hours to reflect on her mistakes.” Three hours later, I saw the message from my assistant. My grandmother had been kicked out of the Dawson family villa and sent to a rental apartment. I rubbed my freezing, numb knees. Calmly, I dialed my assistant’s number. “Please print another copy of the M&A agreement for Mr. Sterling.” 02 After instructing my assistant to take good care of my grandmother. I entered the house again. A little girl wearing an Elsa princess dress rushed over and squirted water all over my face with a toy water gun. “You big bad witch, why are you in my daddy’s house?” A woman in a white lace nightgown stopped her with a gentle tone. “Mia, you can’t be impolite to others.” She tilted her neck, revealing patches of red hickeys. Even though I had seen her countless times on Elias’s phone screen. Her appearance still made my heart skip a beat for a few seconds. The little girl didn’t stop her actions, instead aiming the water gun at my body. Chloe looked meaningfully at my ruined makeup, a smile playing on her lips. “Mrs. Sterling, the child is just playing Elsa casting a spell, please don’t hold it against her…” Soaked and shivering from the cold, I was about to change my shoes and go find Elias to sign the papers. The little girl, with unknown strength, suddenly pushed the shoe-changing stool away. Stepping on the puddle on the floor, I fell heavily to the ground. My forehead hit exactly on the corner of the shoe-changing stool, and blood immediately gushed out. The nanny tried to reach out and help me. Chloe glared at her, and she retracted her hand, explaining to me in a low voice. “Madam, sir instructed that we should treat Miss Chloe as the hostess of the house…” When Elias arrived upon hearing the noise, the little girl had already started crying. She grabbed Elias with one hand and clutched her chest with the other. “Daddy, this auntie just accidentally fell and is bleeding, I’m so scared…” My pupils dilated. Even though I was mentally prepared, I was still shocked by the little girl’s superb acting skills. Elias frowned at me. “Why are you glaring at Mia? You’re not going to tell me she made you fall, are you?” I gritted my teeth and stood up. “I was careless.” Elias nodded impatiently. “You’re an adult, next time remember not to make a fool of yourself in front of the child and scare her.” Noticing my bleeding forehead. He pursed his lips and told the nanny to get the first aid kit for me. He then hurriedly went upstairs carrying the child. Chloe followed Elias smugly. At the corner, she looked back at me with contempt. Mouthing word by word: “What do you have to compete with me?” 03 After the nanny helped me treat the wound, I went back to my room to pack my personal belongings. When I finished packing, Elias stumbled back in. Two buttons of his shirt were undone, with a smudged lipstick mark on it. He saw the room looked much emptier and sneered. “Are you trying to remind me that I should have bought a gift for you too? Luna, don’t forget your place!” Elias and I had an arranged business marriage since childhood. Later, my parents died in an accident, and my uncle seized all the shares of the Dawson Group. Elias unilaterally announced the cancellation of our engagement and kept a beautiful canary by his side. But Old Mrs. Sterling recognized only me and, before she died, ordered Elias to marry me. Upon learning this, Chloe left the country overnight. Elias, heartbroken over losing his love, forced me to sign a VAM agreement. Within eight years, I had to earn a billion dollars for the Sterling Group, and he would give me 30% controlling shares of the Dawson Group, but I had to divorce him. I didn’t have much affection for Elias. To get the Dawson Group back, I treated my marriage as a business all these years, striving to make everything go his way. But now, the words of apology were on my lips, yet I couldn’t say them. Seeing me not replying for a long time, Elias’s tone softened. “The child just came back, I have to bond with her. When she accepts me, I’ll have them move out.” Smelling the alcohol on his breath, I stepped back, avoiding his hands that were ready to hug me. Elias frowned. “I know you’ve always wanted a child. Chloe had a hard time alone abroad all these years, so I just had a little drink with her. I promise, starting tomorrow, I won’t touch a drop of alcohol, and I’ll give you a healthy baby, okay?” I smiled inwardly. During these years of business marriage, I never thought of bringing a child into such a family. Every day after he fell asleep, I would regularly take a birth control pill. I calmly handed over the documents in my hand. “This is the M&A agreement for the subsidiary, please sign it, Mr. Sterling.” Elias took the pen, scribbled his name, his frown deepening. “Don’t you have anything to ask me?” I opened my mouth, wanting to say something. The little girl appeared at the bedroom door holding a stuffed animal. She pouted. “Daddy, I can’t sleep alone, I’m scared… Can I sleep with you?” Elias looked at me somewhat hesitantly. I had already closed the file. “I’ll go to the study.” Elias breathed a sigh of relief. The little girl cheered and threw herself into Elias’s arms. “The witch is gone, now Daddy is all mine!” Elias paused his movement of hugging her, but still smilingly held her in his arms. “With Daddy here, my little princess has nothing to fear! Tell me, how do you want Daddy to coax you to sleep?” 04 A doodle was stuck on the study door, depicting a witch’s hat and broom drawn in a child’s handwriting. I frowned and ignored it. “Ah—!” Pushing the door open, I was startled. It was crawling with spiders of all sizes… Elias rushed over angrily. “Luna, how long are you going to make a fuss? Mia was just about to fall asleep and you woke her up!” The little girl followed behind him timidly, and before I could speak, tears streamed down her face. “Daddy, I specially decorated this for auntie. Is auntie doing this because she doesn’t like me?” A spider crawled out from the crack of the door, and Elias’s face turned pale. Shortly after we got married, Elias took me back to the Sterling family’s old mansion to pay respects. His cousin’s little nephew accidentally threw a toy spider onto my coat. I was terrified and threw myself into Elias’s arms on the spot. At that time, disregarding his sister-in-law’s dark face, he taught the little nephew a lesson. “If you dare to scare your aunt again, I’ll break your legs!” Afterwards, he teased me: “Is Mrs. Sterling so afraid of spiders?” But after returning home, he ordered the servants to clean every place in the house where bugs might grow. “Apologize to Mia!” Elias’s cold voice pulled my thoughts back. “Mia kindly prepared the room for you. As an elder, have you thought about how sad the child would be with such a reaction?” Chloe came out of another bedroom, looking sleepy. She pulled the child into her arms, her tone carrying a mother’s fierce resolve. “Mrs. Sterling, I know you have issues with me, but the child is innocent. Direct your dissatisfaction at me, don’t target the child.” She rubbed the little girl’s head, her tone gentle. “Mia, Mommy told you long ago that auntie wouldn’t welcome us, but you insisted on following Daddy back. Now you know how sinister people can be, right? Come with Mommy. Even if we live in a rental, it’s better than suffering here!” The little girl pouted and burst into loud wails. Chloe turned to leave. Elias glared at me fiercely. “I said Chloe is also the master of this house. Whoever dares to make them suffer, get out of the Sterling family!” I didn’t want to stay another night in the Sterling house anyway. I just didn’t want my grandmother to see my disheveled state and worry about me. Ignoring Elias’s ugly expression, I went to the nanny’s room. “I’ll leave first thing tomorrow morning.” 05 Early in the morning, I was woken up by a noisy sound. The little girl was clamoring to build a swing in the garden. She gestured, directing the servants where to put the swing. “Put it right where this laurel tree is!” Chloe also helped command the servants. “Didn’t you hear my daughter say to cut down this tree?” A servant looked up at me and explained in a low voice: “But this is Madam’s favorite tree, Sir never lets anyone touch it…” I was born in August when the laurel flowers were in full bloom. My parents named me Luna (Moon) and personally planted a laurel tree at the Dawson family villa, symbolizing purity and wealth. After my uncle seized the Dawson Group, he used underhanded means to sell my parents’ villa. Shortly after we married, Elias somehow heard about this. He spent a fortune to buy back the Dawson family villa. And transplanted the laurel tree to the Sterling family’s garden. He said as long as the laurel tree is there, it’s like my parents are still guarding me. At that time, a trace of warmth suddenly emerged in my heart. Maybe when the VAM agreement ends, I can try to truly accept him, even give him a child… The little girl started crying and shouting. “I don’t care, I want the swing right here!” Chloe looked at me provocatively. “If I remember correctly, Mrs. Sterling seems to have been kicked out by Mr. Sterling last night?” She gently comforted the crying little girl. “Everything Daddy has is yours, no one dares to say no.” I took the suitcase handed to me by the nanny. “Miss Chloe, it doesn’t matter if you haven’t read much and don’t understand basic legal knowledge, but it’s not good to be a bad influence on the child.” I looked at the little girl, mimicking Chloe’s gentle tone. “During the years auntie and your daddy have been married, half of your daddy’s assets belong to auntie, that part isn’t yours.” Chloe’s face looked terrible. The little girl, with tears in her eyes, looked at me in disbelief. “Enough!” Elias’s deep voice came from behind. “Luna, how can you use legal jargon to destroy a child’s innocence?” In the second year of our marriage, Elias was set up, and a sex scandal broke out. The Sterling Group’s stock plummeted, wiping out hundreds of millions in market value. It was me who staked out lawyers for days and hired PR firms to suppress the matter. When I fainted from low blood sugar, he held me in his arms, his heart aching. “It hurts me to see you worrying so much for me. Just stay home and be Mrs. Sterling from now on, okay?” I almost believed it was true. Fortunately, my uncle had taught me a lesson earlier. You can’t completely trust even the closest people. What you hold in your hand is the most real. “Mr. Sterling, I’m just telling the truth. If you feel offended on behalf of your precious daughter, please send me a lawyer’s letter.” I turned and left. As the car started, Elias chased out, his face deadly pale. “Luna, I didn’t mean that…” I ignored him and stepped on the gas pedal.

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1 Seven years after Celeste’s supposed death, I stumbled upon her while promoting drinks at a high-end club. The moment she saw me, she instinctively recoiled, ducking behind the bartender as if trying to melt into the shadows. My gaze didn’t linger for a second. I continued to introduce the whiskey in my hand to the customer. When my shift ended, she was blocking the employee exit, her expression a complex palette of emotions, like a spilled paint tray. “Ethan, all these years… how have you been?” I didn’t answer. I just pulled on my food delivery jacket, put on my helmet, and looked down. Suddenly, she grabbed the handlebars of my scooter. “Ethan, I wasn’t dead. Aren’t you even a little surprised?” Of course, I wasn’t surprised. The moment she collaborated with my brother to stage that fake death seven years ago, making a fool of me— She had already died in my heart. … “Daddy! When are you coming home? Lily wants to hear a story!” My daughter’s sweet, childlike voice chirped through the car’s Bluetooth. Celeste let go of the handlebars as if scalded, her face instantly drained of color. I gently reassured Lily, then turned the ignition. But Celeste stopped me again. “Ethan, are you… married? How old is your child?” “Your wife lets you work in a place like this?” I was in a hurry to finish this delivery and get home, so I didn’t bother to explain. Just then, her phone rang, and Celeste answered it reflexively. A gentle male voice came from the other end: “Celeste, did you get the red wine I asked for? Little Alistair is fussing, wanting his mommy to play LEGOs with him.” Celeste frantically lowered the volume, mumbled a few responses, and hung up. When she looked up again, her tone carried a deliberate note of helplessness. “Lucas… your brother, it’s his birthday, and he insisted on that particular wine. I’m allergic to alcohol, but I had to go along with him…” Her voice held a hint of eager probing, as if waiting for me to take her side. I nodded indifferently. “Well, you’re married to him, of course, you have to indulge him.” Celeste frowned, stopping me again. “I’ll cover all your deliveries tonight! Can we talk?” “That debt… it must have been hard for you to pay off all these years, right? I can help—” I finally turned to look at her, my voice calm. “Ms. Thorne, wasn’t that sixteen million dollar debt all thanks to you?” Her face instantly turned ashen. I twisted the throttle, and the electric scooter zipped out of the alley. In the rearview mirror, she stumbled, chasing a few steps in her high heels. I didn’t look back. By the time I finished my last delivery, it was late into the night. Pushing open the door to my rental apartment, Lily rushed into my arms like a little cannonball. “Daddy! I got a perfect score on my math test today!” I laughed, ruffling her hair, but my gaze fell on the glowing screen of the tablet on the coffee table— A news alert showed Celeste, in a designer gown, attending a charity gala. Lily followed my gaze, her small hand gently touching my back. “Daddy… the lady at the convenience store today said,” “I look just like that pretty lady on TV…” She paused, then quickly added, “But I told the lady that my mommy is a star in the sky! I have enough with just you, Daddy!” My nose stung. Seven years ago, Celeste faked her death, leaving me with sixteen million dollars in company debt. I had done everything imaginable over the years. Serving drinks at clubs, hauling bricks at construction sites, even working as a life model. Lily was adopted by me three years ago from an orphanage. She was three then, as thin as a kitten, shrinking into a corner when she saw strangers. At four, she started remembering things. Even though she was still a tiny tot, She would, when I had a fever, wobbly climb onto a stool to pour me hot water. She had never cried for a mother. But I knew she often secretly looked at photos of other children holding their mothers’ hands at night. What she didn’t know was— Her birth mother wasn’t dead. It was Celeste, now a rising business star in the city. I only confirmed it by chance, six months after adopting her, when I saw an old missing person’s notice and privately did a DNA test. But I would never let Celeste know. “Don’t cry, Daddy,” Lily wiped the corner of my eye with her small hand. “Lily’s with you!” “I’m going to eat lots of rice and grow tall quickly! That way, Daddy won’t have to work in the middle of the night!” My heart felt like it was torn open and then stuffed with cotton. It hurt, yet it warmed me, making me tremble. I forced myself to stay awake, helped her finish her homework, and tucked her into bed. Lying beside her, I stared at the ceiling until dawn. 2 The next day, I went to work at the restaurant. At two in the afternoon, my daughter’s teacher called. “Lily’s dad, please come to the school right away! Lily got into a fight with a classmate!” My heart tightened. I asked the manager for leave and rushed to the school. The moment I pushed open the office door, my breathing hitched— Lily’s left cheek was swollen and red, but she was biting her lip, refusing to cry. Only when she saw me did she let out a sob and throw herself into my arms. “Ms. Green, what happened?” I asked the teacher. She looked troubled. “During class today, the financial news was playing, and Lily saw Ms. Thorne’s picture and said she looked like her. And then—” “That’s my mommy! How dare Lily, that stray, pretend to be my mommy!” A girl with pigtails next to her shrieked. At the same time, a commotion came from outside the door. “Who dares bully my daughter?! Wife, Mom, Dad, we need an explanation today!” My blood ran cold. Before I could cover Lily’s face, several startled voices exploded. “Ethan?!” My parents, Celeste, and my brother Lucas. Celeste rushed over, grabbed Lily’s shoulders, and stared at her face for a few seconds, her pupils constricting. “Those eyebrows and eyes… Ethan, is she… the child I lost back then…” My parents and Lucas also froze in place. In the living room of the mansion, I ignored everyone else and applied ointment to Lily’s face. Lily quietly rolled her eyes, assessing them. After a long while, my mom cleared her throat. “Ethan… why haven’t you contacted us all these years? We only found out you weren’t doing well when… Celeste told us.” “Ainsley didn’t mean it. She didn’t know Lily’s background, and she’s your brother’s child. Don’t take it to heart.” “But… what about this child?” No sooner had she spoken than Lucas burst out, his voice choked with tears. “Brother, I know you hate me, hate me for making Celeste fake her death to marry me.” “But I couldn’t help it! I loved her too much…” He grabbed my hand, tears instantly flowing. “And at the time, I didn’t know the cancer diagnosis was a mistake. I just wanted to fulfill a dream.” “By the time the misdiagnosis was confirmed, Celeste and I already had Ainsley.” “That’s right, Ethan,” my dad chimed in. “It’s fate. You and Celeste weren’t meant to be. Don’t blame your brother.” I forced a faint smile. Seven years ago, Celeste told me she was going to discuss funding, and to wait for her. What I waited for was the news of her drowning. The company lost its backbone, all orders fell through. When the sixteen-million-dollar debt crashed down on me, I met Lily, abandoned, at an orphanage. She became my only light in the darkness. I sold the apartment and jewelry Celeste left me, but there was still a three-million-dollar shortfall. To pay off the debt, I took Lily and moved to the city. But in a shopping mall baby store, I saw— Lucas with his arm around Celeste, picking out baby clothes, my parents smiling beside them. “Celeste, do you think my brother will forgive me? Will he blame me for orchestrating your fake death to marry me?” “I know he loved you… but I was the one who fell first!” Celeste then kissed his forehead, her expression solemn. “I left him the company and the apartment. Those years he had me were enough.” “My love can only be for one person, and that’s you.” My parents looked utterly relieved. “Ethan has always been stubborn. He complains we favor his brother and runs so far away. Don’t mind him, he’ll come back when he’s had enough.” Only then did I understand— They would do anything for Lucas. Heartbreak, was merely this. “Finished? I’m leaving.” I took Lily’s hand and turned to walk away. Letting them call my name behind me. On the way, Lily seemed to want to speak but ultimately asked nothing. I knew the peaceful days were over. Sure enough, late that night, I received a text from Lucas. [Ethan, are you a ghost haunting me? Bringing a stray to seduce my woman, have you no shame?] [You couldn’t beat me when we were kids, and don’t even think about it now.] [I’ll show you what happens when you mess with my woman.] I didn’t reply, gently patting Lily’s back to coax her to sleep. Nor did I pay attention to Celeste’s consecutive messages and missed calls. The screen flickered in the darkness. Like that great fire seven years ago that burned everything I had. 3 I still woke at five in the morning to knead dough and steam buns at the breakfast shop. After the morning rush, my phone vibrated in my apron pocket. I thought it was Lily’s teacher, but the screen showed “Mom.” “Ethan,” her voice carried a deliberate softness. “Your brother knows you’ve been struggling and feels so bad he can’t sleep at night.” “After Ainsley hit Lily, he disciplined the child and said he wants you to come home.” “We’ve tidied up the spare bedroom. Why don’t you bring Lily back for a meal?” She paused, a hint of hesitation entering her tone. “Today… is also your brother and Celeste’s seventh wedding anniversary. As his brother, you should come back and wish them well, right?” Lucas couldn’t even wait a few days. I knew exactly what he wanted to do—ruin the life I had just started to build. I hung up and continued to scrub the greasy stovetop. Looking up, I saw Celeste standing at the shop entrance. She wore a cream-colored trench coat, out of place in this small, grease-stained shop. “Ethan,” her eyes were complex. “I’ll drive you.” Lily clutched my hand, looking up at me, then at Celeste. I took a deep breath, suppressing my irritation. My phone rang again. This time it was my dad. “Ethan, I’ve asked Celeste to pick you up.” “You’ve been sulking for seven years, that’s enough. Your brother thinks about you constantly. I don’t ask you to be filial to us,” “But at least give him a way out. What he values most is a reunited family.” I gave a silent, wry smile. If he truly valued reunion, he wouldn’t have conspired with Celeste seven years ago. And I wouldn’t have been made a fool of like a dog. But I still got into Celeste’s car. Some things needed to be said face-to-face. In the car, Celeste kept looking at me through the rearview mirror. The oppressive silence was suffocating, and finally, she spoke. “Ethan, I know you hate me. What happened back then… I was thoughtless.” “I thought you understood how the company worked. I thought those assets would be enough for you to live comfortably…” “It’s been… very hard all these years, hasn’t it? That child, she…” I opened my half-closed eyes, annoyance bubbling up. Any assistant she had now could dig up every detail of my life. Why pretend to care now? Half an hour later, the car stopped outside a hotel banquet hall. Lucas’s events were always lavish. My parents saw me, smiles of relief on their faces, and each grabbed one of my arms. “That’s right! How can brothers hold a grudge? It’s good to have you back!” Their smiles were too wide, so wide they made me uneasy. Lucas walked over with a champagne flute, a flicker of malice in his eyes. “Mom, Dad, I was so happy my brother would come back, I couldn’t sleep last night,” he choked out. “But I also feel guilty…” “If it weren’t for me, my brother might have started his own family long ago. So today, I’ve prepared a big gift for him.” My eyelid twitched. The next second, Lucas announced with a smile. “Ethan, I used your photo to arrange a good match in our circles—Miss Olivia Hayes, the second daughter of the Hayes family!” My blood froze. The Hayes family’s second daughter had severe bipolar disorder and had beaten three previous fiancés to death a few years ago! “Lucas, I’m your own brother!” I roared. Celeste, however, pressed down on my arm. “Ethan, Miss Hayes’s condition is under control now. The Hayes family is willing to offer a six million dollar dowry. You’ll be living a life of luxury if you marry into them.” “The Hayes family business is under a subsidiary of Thorne Corp. I’ll look after you.” “Ethan, stop making a fuss!” My mom frowned. “You’re thirty. And you had that messy past with Celeste. Where will your brother put his face if that gets out? Can’t you think of him for once?” I stared at them intently. The seven-year-old scar on my heart was being torn open. This was the woman I had loved. These were my family. For Lucas, they would push me into a fire pit. “Whoever wants this marriage can have it! It has nothing to do with me!” I grabbed Lily and tried to leave, but Lucas suddenly grabbed my wrist. “Brother, I’m doing this for your own good…” His eyes reddened, but his fingernails dug hard into my flesh. I winced, trying to shake him off, but Lucas fell backward like a leaf! “Ethan, what are you doing!” My dad roared. I hadn’t even used any force! Just as I was about to protest, my mom’s slap came sweeping towards me. I closed my eyes, but the anticipated pain didn’t land. Opening my eyes— My mom’s wrist was firmly seized in mid-air. I turned my head and met a pair of calm eyes. “Excuse me,” the woman’s voice wasn’t loud, but it cut through the din of the entire room. “Who do you intend to marry off my husband and child to?” Lily’s eyes lit up, and she threw herself into her arms. “Mommy!” The room fell into a dead silence. 4 It wasn’t until Lily’s “Mommy!” echoed that I snapped back to reality. “How are you back so early? Didn’t you say the project wouldn’t be finished until next month?” Erica cast a sidelong glance at me, a playful glint in her eyes. “If I hadn’t come back sooner, my husband would have been abducted.” She exchanged a look with Lily in her arms, and a mischievous glint flickered in both their eyes. I suddenly remembered— Lily’s most memorized phone number, besides mine, was Erica’s. That little imp must have secretly “told on me.” “Wait!” Lucas’s face was ashen. He stared at Erica, his voice trembling. “Erica? You and Ethan… know each other?” “And… why are you here?” Erica raised an eyebrow, reaching to pull me behind her. “Since this is a family dinner, we outsiders won’t intrude. Husband, child, let’s go.” She turned to leave, but Lucas staggered after her. “Erica… Erica, do you remember me? We both graduated from Northwood University. We even performed together in the talent show back then…” He gave me an imperceptible glare, then put on a shy expression. “You might not know, my brother here is a bit foolish. He used to bother my wife…” “Erica, you must have been used by him. Listen to me, let me expla—” Erica scoffed, interrupting him. “I remember. Ethan is your biological brother?” “You always took his toys, his scholarship money, even his women. Now you’re slandering him in front of me.” “You Harding family, how interesting.” Those few words drained all color from my parents, Lucas, and Celeste. My mom managed a forced smile. “Ethan… when did you get married? Why didn’t you tell us?” “If you’re living with Miss Hayes, then your mother can rest easy…” Erica finally turned to look at her. “Auntie, seven years ago, when Ethan took on a sixteen million dollar debt for this scoundrel, why didn’t you say you could rest easy?” My mom’s face lost all its color. I lowered my eyes. Erica had an investment company that happened to have business dealings with the Harding family. It was a small project for her, but enough to support the Harding family for a whole year. She had endured a lot for me before. Today, that unspoken understanding was completely shattered. Erica didn’t bother to say more, putting her arm around my shoulder and walking out. “Ethan! You explain to me, why—” Celeste tried to follow but was stopped by Erica’s bodyguard. Her shouts grew fainter in the distance. My steps didn’t falter. The people behind me, who had been so arrogant moments ago, were now silent as mutes. At home, Lily and I took a hot bath. Emerging from the bathroom, my wet hair was gently held up, the warm breeze of the hairdryer caressing the ends. Turning, Erica was looking at me. Her gaze was focused, tinged with concern. “If that little clever Lily hadn’t secretly messaged me, were you going to shoulder it all by yourself again?” “If I hadn’t cut my trip short to rush back this time, would those people have picked your bones clean?” “Ethan, when will you learn to boss me around and rely on me with confidence?” Her tone was calm, but the end of her sentence held a hint of grievance. My chest ached slightly. After the pain, a warm current spread through my limbs. Lily sat on the sofa, holding a cheese stick Erica had given her, her big eyes sparkling as she watched us.

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There was a three-hundred-dollar deduction on my pay stub. The HR lady just rolled her eyes at me. “Don’t you know what you did?” I was the top salesperson in the entire company. I had no idea where that three hundred dollars went. When I went to the manager for an explanation, he pulled up the cafeteria security footage. All because I took one extra bagel. “If you have the audacity to steal a bagel today, who knows when you’ll decide to betray the company tomorrow.” The manager gave me a long, meaningful look. “As a woman, there’s no need to be the best at everything. You might accidentally end up blocking someone else’s path.” It suddenly clicked. Fine. If I’m in the way, I’ll just step aside. 1 I hit the top of the leaderboard again this month. I just closed a million-dollar contract. Between my base salary and the commission, I was expecting a check for at least thirty thousand. But then. The moment my eyes hit the pay stub the HR rep handed me. The smile on my face froze solid. Policy Violation Fine: $300? I stopped her right there to ask what it was about. She just gave me a look, covering a smirk with her hand. “Don’t you know what you did?” “You actually have the nerve to ask!” I was completely lost. I’d worked so many late nights this month I’d lost count. To land that million-dollar deal, I’d practically lived at the client’s office for a week straight. Every waking second was spent catering to their needs. The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. I finally snapped. “I’ve worked endless overtime and secured a massive account for this firm. What exactly did I violate to lose three hundred dollars?” “Tell me. Which rule did I break?” She just curled her lip. “If you’re pissed, don’t take it out on me. Go talk to the manager if you’re so tough.” Oh, I was going. Fuming, I knocked on Mr. Miller’s office door. He looked like he’d been waiting for me. I walked in with a face of stone. “Mr. Miller, why does my pay stub show a three-hundred-dollar deduction for a policy violation?” As the company’s top closer. I figured I had enough leverage to demand an answer. But I never could have imagined. The reason for the fine was this pathetic. 2 Mr. Miller showed me a clip from the security cameras. It was me, at the cafeteria counter, taking two bagels. The cafeteria policy: One bagel per person. No extras. I was speechless. “You’re docking me three hundred dollars… because I took an extra bagel???” I did take two that day. It was because a client had arrived unexpectedly, and I didn’t have time for a real meal. I had to scarf down whatever I could grab while running to the conference room. I tried to explain. “That day, the situation was—” “If you dare to steal a bagel today, who knows when you’ll decide to betray the company tomorrow,” Mr. Miller cut me off impatiently. This was beyond an overreaction. I’d been with this firm for six years, grinding my way up to become the top producer. Why on earth would I betray the company? I was genuinely insulted. Mr. Miller leaned back, giving me that same meaningful look. “Look, Sarah. As a woman, you don’t need to be the best at everything. You might accidentally end up blocking someone else’s path.” My mouth hung open, but no words came out. I left his office in a daze. Thinking about that warning look he gave me as I walked out. My heart sank. But it didn’t take long for me to figure out what was really going on. 3 The next day, the company blast went out with the monthly rankings. I was still number one. But on the line for the million-dollar contract I’d just closed, there was a new name under “Account Support.” Caleb Reed. On top of that, two of my high-value leads were reassigned directly to him. I stared at the screen for a while. Who was Caleb Reed? The girl in the next cubicle gave me the answer. He was the new intern. Then I remembered him. This kid had just started, and he didn’t have a lick of rookie humility. He’d been here less than a month, done zero work, and was already walking away with ready-made projects. So, this was about stealing my accounts? My blood started to boil. I headed straight for Mr. Miller’s office. If I didn’t get a real explanation for this, I was walking. I was halfway there when I stopped by the breakroom. 4 The door was cracked open. I heard Caleb’s voice. “Uncle, are you sure about giving me Sarah’s project? Won’t she freak out? She is the top earner, after all.” Uncle? Then Mr. Miller’s voice came back, dripping with dismissiveness. “She only has herself to blame. Why does a woman need to be that ambitious anyway?” He paused. “If I give her credit, she’s the top earner. If I don’t, she’s nothing.” Caleb was quick to suck up. “Yeah, you’re right. She thinks she’s untouchable just because she brings in some money. She doesn’t show you any respect.” Mr. Miller snorted. “This company’s resources belong in the hands of our own people. We can’t have a woman hogging the top spot forever.” He lowered his voice, sounding even more ruthless. “If she’s smart, she’ll hand over the rest of her leads quietly. If not, I’ve got plenty of ways to make her pack her bags.” “Once you’ve got her accounts and secure that top spot, this whole department will be our territory.” In a split second, rage hit me like a physical blow. I finally got it. I finally knew whose way I was blocking. And me and Caleb. We did have a little history. Last week during the staff meeting, I’d pointed out three massive holes in a proposal he’d clearly copy-pasted. They were rookie errors. After the meeting, he’d cornered me, his tone bitter and arrogant. “Don’t get too comfortable just because you’ve been here longer. We’ll see who’s still standing in the end.” I hadn’t thought anything of it at the time. Turns out, he had backing. Mr. Miller seemed to have forgotten that he only got that manager’s chair because I—the woman he looked down on—had pushed him there. 5 Three years ago, when they were voting for a new department manager. Mr. Miller’s rival had more seniority and the biggest clients. Mr. Miller had practically begged me to transfer my closed deals to his portfolio so his numbers would look better than his opponent’s. I valued our working relationship and wanted a boss I thought I could trust, so I did it. The day he got the promotion, he called me the “pillar of the department” in front of everyone. And now? Now I was just an obstacle. My heart went cold. If Miller was determined to pave the way for Caleb, nothing I said would matter. It would only give them more ammunition to use against me. Oh, so they thought I was in their way? Fine. I’ll give them the whole damn road. I walked back to my desk, putting on my best “defeated” face. My coworkers saw me looking down and immediately averted their eyes, too scared to ask. When Caleb got back to his desk. I gathered up every single one of my client files. I carried the stack over and set them on his desk personally. I kept my voice soft and compliant. “Caleb, I’ve organized all my client data. They’re all yours to handle from now on.” 6 Caleb froze. He clearly hadn’t expected me to be this “reasonable.” A flash of smugness crossed his eyes, but he kept up the fake politeness. “Sarah, I couldn’t! You worked so hard on these.” I looked down, acting despondent. “As a woman, there’s really no point in me pushing this hard. Better to give the opportunities to you young guys.” The office erupted in whispers. The looks Caleb was getting were a mix of suspicion and wariness. If even I was backing down, what chance did any of them have? I ignored them. I went back to my computer. I pulled up the backup files for the million-dollar contract. That draft had three major contractual loopholes. I’d planned to fix them before the final signing, but now… they were exactly where they needed to be. Then I dug up the resume Caleb submitted when he was hired. It was a work of fiction. “Independently closed a half-million dollar deal.” “Led market expansion in the Southeast.” I did a quick search on the clients he claimed to have worked with. Non-existent. Heh. This is going to be fun. I saved all the evidence to an encrypted drive, then hopped on the company group chat and sent a message: [Mark is going to be the main driver for our department from now on! Let’s all learn from his example!] Mr. Miller was quick to “like” it. [Great attitude, Sarah. Very professional.] I looked at the screen, a cold smile curling my lips. 7 For the next week, I completely checked out. I showed up at 9:00 sharp and vanished the second the clock hit 5:00. No overtime. Every client inquiry that came in, I forwarded straight to Caleb. I was light as a feather. Slowly, the office rumor mill started churning. People were saying I’d fallen for Caleb. That I was stepping aside out of love. I didn’t say a word, letting the gossip spread like wildfire. Caleb was loving it. He strutted around the office, barking orders, trashing people’s reports, acting like he owned the place. Once he’d had his fill of the flattery, his ego started to cloud his judgment. It was time. I caught him in the breakroom while I was getting coffee. “Congrats, Caleb! You’ve been so busy lately. That million-dollar deal is basically in the bag, right?” Caleb lifted his chin. “Of course. A little thing like that? Not a problem for me.” I leaned in, looking totally envious. “You’re amazing. I pulled so many all-nighters on that account, and you just took over and finished it like it was nothing.” He gave me a condescending smirk. “You women just think too small. Business is about strategy, not just grinding. Hard work is useless if you don’t have the vision.” I nodded along like a fan girl, then lowered my voice. “A rookie landing a deal that big makes Mr. Miller look like a genius. Upper management is definitely watching you.” I watched his eyes light up, and then I threw the match. “In six months, I’ll probably be calling you ‘Manager Reed’.” 8 Caleb’s face turned bright red. “Hey… you shouldn’t say things like that!” I gave him a knowing smile. “Mr. Miller isn’t getting any younger, and you know how much the VPs love promoting new blood.” I paused, acting a little hesitant. “It’s just a shame…” “A shame about what?” I’d hooked him perfectly. “It’s a shame you’re only listed as ‘Support’ on that contract. If you were the sole ‘Project Lead,’ that manager’s position would be a lock.” Smart people don’t need things spelled out. His eyes darted around as he did the math. An hour later. He marched over and slammed a Project Lead Transfer form on my desk. “Starting today, I am the sole person responsible for this contract!” I acted shocked and quickly snapped a photo of the signed form with my phone. “When you’re the boss, you better look out for me.” Caleb was so high on himself he was practically floating. The second he walked away. I sent an anonymous email to the entire firm—and the client. I laid out the project theft, the contract loopholes, and the total fraud that was Caleb’s resume. Send. The next second. The company group chat turned into a war zone. 9 [No way! This resume is a total joke! I looked up that $500k deal, and that company doesn’t even exist! He lied that much on day one?] [I heard someone was stealing accounts, I thought it was just office drama, but it’s real?] [Management needs to investigate this immediately! Otherwise, why are we even doing our own work? Let’s all just poach each other!] [Tsk. Nepo baby much?] I jumped in the chat to “defend” him. [There must be some mistake! I’m sure Caleb isn’t like that.] People immediately started feeling sorry for me. [Sarah, you’re way too nice. He stole your account and you’re still sticking up for him?] [Seriously. In my department, he’d be eaten alive.] I hadn’t even finished reading the replies when a roar erupted across the office. “Sarah! You sent that email, didn’t you?!”

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